TMNT 2012: SHATTERED
by Sesshomarusama3
Summary: This was where it was going to end for me. They were going to kill me. And then they would seek out my family. But I wouldn't let them. I couldn't die here. I had to get up. I had to keep fighting. I had to protect my family from these monsters! (2012 verse, takes place during The Invasion, Leo's P.O.V. May add more chapters soon. Hope you enjoy it!)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi guys! New story here! This takes place during the Season 2 Finale: The Invasion. I wanted to write Leo's thoughts and feelings during his last stand with the Foot and Shredder...and I think I did okay!**

**I'm not sure if this is going to be a one-shot or maybe a two-shot, but I'll leave that to you guys! If you want me to do a part 3 (with Raph's P.O.V) and then go on to do Donnie/Mikey/Splinter/April/Casey after them, then just say so!**

**And to those of you following my other stories, they're all still being written! I just REALLY wanted to get this one out!**

**I OWN NOTHING. TMNT BELONGS TO KEVIN EASTMAN AND PETER LAIRD/NICK. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong><span>TMNT 2012: SHATTERED<span>**

"Come on, Kraang!" I shouted, clanking my Katanas together loudly to grab the attention of the Kraang droids attacking my younger brothers and April. It eventually worked, and they turned their robotic heads towards me instead. Predictably, they opened fire on me, but fortunately I was fast enough to elude their shots, and was already running further into the tunnels, taunting them all the while as they followed, leading them away from the remainder of my family.

But I prayed that Raphael, Master Splinter and Casey were going to be okay.

They _had _to be. They were stronger than a few robots, right? Especially Master Splinter. He'd taken down Shredder before, so a simple Kraang bot should be easy enough for him, a master ninja, right? But that didn't exactly appease the apprehension I had for Raphael and Casey. They were still out there, dead center of the invasion…

What if something happened to them? Would my last memory of my little brother be of a little spat we had earlier about him going out in daylight?

I quickly shook the thought off. They were going to be just fine; those two stubborn boneheads could survive the apocalypse if they fought hard enough.

"Over here! Woo! Come on!" I chanted over and over again as I ran from the barrage of lasers, casting a quick glance behind me to see if they were still after me.

But as I looked beyond them, I locked gazes with my baby brother, Mikey, as he ushered the injured Donnie to his feet with help from April. Big baby blue eyes bore into me as he watched me run. He was scared, I could see that as clear as day. But he wasn't scared for himself; he was scared for _me_. He was scared for Raph, still out there in the cold daylight in the middle of the invasion, for Donnie with his arm bleeding from a direct hit from a Kraang gun, for Splinter left behind in the remains of our lair, for April who blamed herself for all of this happening…and for the fate of the entire city as we knew it.

I wanted to smile at him, to hug him and tell him that everything was going to be okay. But one, I was already turning my head away from him, continuing my course and hightailing it from the pursuing Kraang droids, and two, what could I possibly say to him if given the chance?

Our home, one that had been kept a secret for nearly seventeen years now, had been discovered and was being destroyed. Our Sensei, our teacher and father since the day we were created, was still inside there fighting against that freaky Kraang. And now, the city, the world we had wanted to explore and had risked our lives countless times to protect, was being invaded by countless more of these aliens, more than me or my brothers could ever take down.

This invasion wasn't like the last one. It wasn't just one Technodrome to take down now. It was so much bigger than ever before.

What could I possibly have said to my little brother that would have made this any easier to bear?

The answer was nothing.

* * *

><p>By the time the four Kraang droids that were dressed in their identical human disguises showed up through the tunnels, far away from where our lair had once been, I was nowhere to be seen. Well, unless they ever bothered to look up, which I really hoped they wouldn't as I supported myself on the pipes overhead. But luckily enough, they were too busy scanning the empty bodies of the comrades I'd managed to fight off. It was trickier than usual, and already I could feel myself needing to rest, but I forced myself to focus.<p>

Now wasn't the time to sit idly by whilst the safety of my family – the entire city – was at stake. They were all waiting for me, counting on me to get back to them in one piece. I couldn't let them down, not now.

My eyes narrowed as I listened to their conversation below me, which was pretty loud as their voices bounced off the hollow tunnel walls. "Kraang, still no sign of turtles," one said. "Kraang must hurry. Kraang must attain the turtles for the one called Shredder."

As they moved on, I felt my blood run cold as I leapt down from my hiding place, splashing in the puddle below. "Shredder?" I uttered aloud. _He_ was involved with the Kraang invasion? But how? Why would he risk thousands of lives, most likely including his own, to help these…

Wait…that Kraang Sub-Prime guy mentioned something about finding the lair being the final piece of the puzzle before the invasion could begin. Shredder must have made a bargain with them; if they found the lair, he would aid them in taking over the city.

The first spark of anger lit up within me as my eyes narrowed, and I wasted no more time as I darted back through the tunnels, my mask tails whipping behind me. That soulless snake. Of _course _he had a hand in all of this. That revenge crazed monster would do just about anything to get what he wanted, which was the death of myself, my brothers, my father…

He had even gone so far as to take Splinters' daughter away from him _yet again_…

_Karai…_

My teeth ground together, I pushed myself to go faster. That man was not going to get anywhere near my family, not ever again. Not as long as I was still standing.

I just hoped that in all this madness, they were somewhere that they would be safe.

* * *

><p>The moment I lifted the manhole cover, I felt the chill of the winds hit me and gnaw at my scaly flesh as I suppressed a shiver. Boy, it was colder than I thought it was up here. But I quickly shook the thought off, focusing on what I knew I had to do. Not bothering to slide the cover shut this time, I crawled out of the hole and immediately unsheathed my swords as I ran across the streets, pressing myself against the corner of a nearby shop as I carefully peered around it.<p>

Just as I suspected, there were Foot Bots posted everywhere, positioned on the rooftops with bows and arrows, and prowling like wild, black cats in the deserted streets.

I frowned. There wasn't a single human in sight. A part of me wondered what had happened to them, but then I remembered. The Kraang were probably herding them all towards the center of the city for their mutation, and they wouldn't even realize it in all of their panic and the chaos surrounding them before it was too late.

Just like you would corner a colony of panicked rats, ready to be exterminated, and they had no idea they were luring themselves into a trap.

The sound of a Foot Bot landing only inches behind me had me swerving on my heel and rolling out of the way as their spiked weapon hit the wall where my head had been seconds before, and with a swift kick in the chest I sent it crashing to the ground. With my cover blown, the Foot Bots on the rooftop fired their arrows in my direction, the first few missing their marks by mere inches, but the second wave nearly hit home before I used my Katanas to reflect them, sending them bouncing uselessly to the concrete.

I couldn't stay here and fight them; they were only there to tire me out, to distract me from my true goal. So I bounded out of the way of several more arrows shot my way, and into an alleyway, escaping them entirely. Well, at least that's what I thought, until two more Foot soldiers leapt in front of me and launched their shuriken in my direction, aiming for my head. Just as I had done against the arrows, my Katanas blocked the oncoming weapons, and the robots met my blades as I sliced them both in half with ease.

I continued onward, and I noticed that it was starting to snow. I realized that the longer I was out here, the colder I became, but I didn't stop running, not until I reached the construction site of what used to be an old skate park of some kind, and I slid myself inside without a sound. All of my senses were still on high alert, but I was in desperate need of a breather as I hid myself behind a wooden board, panting faintly.

Damn it. I was already getting tired. The weather was starting to get to me, I was sure of it. A cold blooded creature in cold conditions was never a good idea.

In the stillness that I found daunting, I nearly jumped when I felt my T-Phone start to vibrate in my belt pocket, and I took it out to find that I had over forty-seven missed calls.

All of them were from Mikey.

I frowned at the screen. They were still alive, thank god, but they must all be very worried about me. I wondered if they found Raph and Casey yet. And what about Master Splinter? Was he okay? So many thoughts were already rushing through my head, and I just couldn't keep them quiet.

The least I could do would be to tell Mikey that I was okay. Just to put _his _thoughts to rest.

I was about to finally send Mikey a text back, but the sound of more Foot Bots coming from around the corner caught my attention. My frown deepened as my brows knitted together.

Damn it all; so much for a breather.

I tucked my phone away and vanished from sight just as they rounded the corner, appearing behind them seconds later to cut them down.

That was when they all started coming at me. Not one by one like last time, but all at once.

I managed to fight them off, but I was growing tired, as well as irritated. Why was Shredder just sending me his stupid robots? Was he too much of a coward to face me himself? Letting out a grunt, I threw my katana into the chest of another Foot Bot. It struck me only lightly how only months ago, I would have patronized Raph about throwing weapons, and yet here I was, discarding my sword through some robots' chest.

Huh. How time flies.

Flipping over to the deactivated bot, I grabbed my Katanas just as another wave of ninjas came in. I was quickly losing my patience with these things. Where were they even coming from? No matter. I could take them on. I wouldn't fall, not now or ever. I could do this. Just had to keep going. Ignore the cold, ignore the urge to relax, ignore the continuous buzzing of my phone in my belt…

I could do it!

_"FIRE!"_

My eyes widened. I spun around in time to see that the Shredder was there, standing on a high rooftop nearby the site, accompanied by Tiger Claw, Fishface and Rahzar as they all watched me…along with more arrows flying my way.

"Oh no," I whispered, the fear in my voice carried off into the winds.

In that moment, I realized that my chances of winning were getting slimmer by the minute.

* * *

><p>Ducking and rolling across the cold concrete, I weaved my way through the barrage of arrows fired my way, using my katana to slice the ones that had gotten too close for comfort. A few had managed to nick me several times on the arm and across my face, drawing a fair amount of blood, but I refused to let that slow me down. I wouldn't allow the lowly likes of Shredder to see me fall against the robots he dared call soldiers. If I fell now, they would go after my family…<p>

I couldn't let that happen. I _wouldn't _let that happen.

Slicing one arrow in half before it pierced my shoulder, I glared up at the man surrounded by his mutant men and his robots. Panting heavily now as the snow fell harder and the air turned colder, a snarl clawed its way out of my throat. He was just _standing there_. Watching me from a distance, like the spineless coward he was…

"Stop hiding behind your Foot Bots!" I yelled up at him accusingly, my anger beginning to boil. "_Face me, Shredder!"_

What Shredder said next only made added fuel to my slowly growing fire.

"You are _beneath_ me, turtle."

He sounded almost _disgusted_ that I had even opened my mouth.

My eyes narrowed and my teeth ground together. What right did he have to tell me that I was _beneath_ him? He was already far too low down in the earth to even dare call himself a ninja master, or a ninja at all!

That shell of a man was the reason my father, my entire family, and billions of other innocent people were suffering, people who didn't even know that the Foot Clan existed! He needed to be stopped, once and for all.

And if I had to drag him down here with my bare hands, then so be it!

But before I could take another step towards him, a chain was hurtled at me from my left, and I quickly brought up my arm out of instinct to block the attack. I realized too late that I had made a mistake as the chain wound tightly around my wrist, and I found myself dragged across the rough gravel by my arm, hauled harshly until I was held up against the wall, suspended only inches above the ground. My legs and shell burned from being scraped across the site, but I didn't have time to focus on the pain as, upon seeing me tied up and defenseless, another soldier took his chance and leapt after me.

Oh, for the love of _crud_!

Growling out loud, I threw my katana at it, watching as it sailed straight through the bots chest, and the thing clattered to the ground in a heap. Now with that bot down, I had a chance to get free before –

I yelped in alarm as two swords stabbed their way through the wood, missing me by inches as I did my best to evade them and reach up the chain binding my wrist at the same time. I had to get loose, or I'd end up getting impaled, but the chain was digging into my skin, tearing through flesh. I thought I felt blood seep through the wrappings on my slowly numbing wrist as I struggled, restraining a wince as the pain intensified the longer I stood with my arm bound above me.

Seconds later, the wall exploded from behind me, sending planks and splinters of wood flying everywhere as more Foot Bots charged. I was finally free from the chain as I stumbled back to my feet, but now I was faced with more robots.

I was quickly losing what strength I had left.

And to make matters worse, it seemed that they had noticed it as well.

As I was pulling myself together, one Bot managed to kick me square in the face, sending a flash of blinding pain through me, which I forced myself to tolerate and shake off as the bot came at me again with a punch. I quickly dodged, then took it out with a punch of my own and a sweep of the leg, and then quickly shot back to my feet again and delivered a blow to another on my right. But I was unprepared as another came at me and sent me flying through another wooden barrier, barely landing on a ledge that saved me from a nasty drop.

Dazed, breathless and my wrist bleeding out and stinging like crazy, I shakily got to my feet once again, wincing at the pull of my bruises and cuts littered all over my body, slowing my down. Panting heavily, I surveyed the area to find that I was once again surrounded by a new wave of Foot Bots, all of them poised with their weapons out in front of them.

My left eye twitched with exasperation, before both narrowed darkly as they all came at me yet again.

I was getting _really _tired of this, but I knew I had to fight. I had to fight to stay alive. I had to fight to protect my family, who were all waiting for me somewhere within all of this chaos. I had to fight to prove to Shredder, to prove to _myself_, that I could do it. I could save them. I could shoulder my burden once more. I could be the leader, the warrior that Sensei always told me he believed I would become.

I had to **_fight_**!

Letting out a yell, I unsheathed my blade and charged headlong into the fray yet again.

* * *

><p>As the fight wore on, I could feel myself slipping.<p>

It wasn't immediate; it was slowly, gradually building. I could feel it, but I didn't care. In fact, I actually welcomed this new feeling as it washed over me, empowered me and driving me forwards.

I was tired, I was bleeding, I was hurt, I was cold…and I was _angry_.

So very _angry_.

I was angry at the Shredder for daring to lay even a finger on my family, angry at the Kraang for putting millions of innocent lives at stake, angry at _myself _for not seeing any of this coming before it was too late...

No, I felt _more_ than that.

I felt pure, unadulterated, _fury_.

It was bubbling up inside me with every robot I defeated, rising higher and higher to the surface of the internal inferno that I thought I had calmed and tamed years ago…I was ready to erupt, to let it all loose, but despite that urge, I held it back. I had to keep it under control.

But my hold was quickly weakening.

Letting out a defiant shout, a raised my sword and sliced a robot clean in half, before swinging it around to lop off the head of another looming behind me. I was through messing around with them now. These things just kept coming, thinking that they could take me down, but they were wrong. They were all _wrong_! I was stronger than them, faster than them! I would take them all! Not a single one would escape the wrath of my blade!

None of them were going to get near _my_ family!

Striking down two bots as I ran headlong at them, I swung myself up onto the higher platform, where another droid was running towards me. My sword was through his chest and pinning its fake body to the wall in a mere second, and I glared up at it as it finally shut down and went limp. A final droid came up behind me, and with the hidden blade within the handle of my katana, I spun around and impaled it in the side before kicking it away, watching as it tumbled and joined its many disembodied brethren below with a crash of metal.

Still panting heavily, I dropped my arm to my side as I glared down at the mess of robotic body parts below me. Though I didn't show it, my tired heart began to fill with hope.

Was that it? Were they all gone now?

Had I won? Had I finally proven myself?

Something below me suddenly lashed out and grabbed my ankle with an iron grip, and I only had time to turn around and find that it was half of a Foot Bot I had neglected to finish off earlier, before I lost my balance and stumbled backwards.

"**_AAAAH_**_!"_ I screamed as I fell over the edge of the platform.

I found myself and the world spiraling out of control as I rolled down the rocky slope, my bandages catching and tearing along with my skin against the sharp stones and chippings as I bowled on. Desperately, I tried to reach out to something, anything that could stop my fall, but was met with nothing but muddy ground and more sharp shards of glass and stone that cut harshly into my palms.

As I reached the bottom of the hill, I bounced off of a rock, and then I felt nothing but the freezing cold as I was plunged into the deep waters underneath the wooden bridge.

_So cold so cold so cold so cold so cold…_

My eyes going wide as the cold stabbed mercilessly at my body like a thousand knives, seizing me in an icy embrace, I helplessly wallowed about in desperation, not knowing which way was up or down anymore as I felt my lungs strain within my chest, begging for air, but with my panicking, I was only wasting my breath.

_So cold so cold so cold so cold so cold…_

Finally, just as I feared I would drown, I struggled upright and burst from beneath the depths, sucking in deep, greedy, gasping breaths after coughing up the dirty water I'd swallowed in my panic as I rolled my soaked and weary body back onto semi-dry land, panting heavily as I lay there on my shell.

I couldn't move. I couldn't open my eyes. I could only lie there and wheeze, cough and splutter on my back in the freezing, bitter cold.

I wanted to sleep. I wanted to curl up in a ball and not move ever again. I was just so cold, so tired, _so freaking hurt…_

But when I heard something land on the platform above, I knew I wasn't done yet.

Forcing myself to snap my eyes open again and roll back onto my hands and feet, I shakily stood up again, my fists raised as I glared up at my new foes.

Shredder was standing up there, followed by Tiger Claw, Fishface and Rahzar. They all stared down at me, unmoving as I stood there before them, huffing heavily in exhaustion.

My chest heaved, my wounds burned, my body felt like ice, but I stood strong. I stood against the snow that fell from the sky and piled at my feet, the cold wind that bit at my bruising skin, the endless barrage of Foot Bots that had come at me from every angle, the water that had nearly dragged me under its depths…and now, even though I was weak and armed with nothing but my bare hands, I would stand against them too…

"…_Now _you may finish him."

Wait, what?

They were _all _coming at me?!

I had no time to move as they all pounced at me from the platform.

A solid punch thrown at me by Tiger Claw sent me sprawling to the ground.

Fishface's metal foot crunched down on my chest, cracking several ribs, forcing a cry of pain from me.

A swipe of Rahzar's claws slammed me against the stones by the water, and I felt more blood pooling from where he'd struck my neck and down my arm.

For a moment, I found myself paralyzed where I lay, wheezing in a pool of my own blood. I was too weak to even defend myself. This was where it was going to end for me. They were going to kill me. And then they would seek out my family…

But I wouldn't let them.

I couldn't die here. I _had_ to get up. I _had_ to keep fighting. I _had_ to stay _alive_.

_I had to protect my family from these __**monsters**_!

And suddenly, as I glared venomously up at the mutants standing around me, preparing to strike the final blow, I no longer felt the pain or the cold.

All I felt, in that one moment, was pure **_rage_****.**

Bounding back onto my feet, I grabbed Fishface by the water pumps attached to his gills, and with a vicious punch, I sent him flying to the other side of the platform. Swerving on my heels, I turned and leapt onto Rahzar's back, digging my fingers savagely into his fur and pulling hard on his ears as he roared, growled and bucked like a bull. He managed to throw me off, but instead of slamming into the wall opposite, I bounced off of it and rolled, sending a hard kick into his side as he toppled to the ground.

My eyes were pure white with crazed rage as I let out a loud roar, taking everything I had bottled up inside me for years and letting it out at last.

I let it all go. My anger, my fear, my hatred, my _everything_.

Unfazed by my wrath, Tiger Claw charged me with blinding speed, his claws bared to strike at my throat, but I was far faster than him as I rolled to the ground, launching a solid kick straight into his stomach and sending him toppling to the ground.

Heaving heavy, labored breaths, I picked myself up as a wavered to my feet, glaring down at the three fallen henchmen at my feet.

I…I did it.

I won.

I stayed alive. Despite everything they threw at me, I fought with everything I had, and I succeeded. I hadn't failed my family yet! I saved them!

_I did it!_

A sudden flash of lightening blinded me for a moment, and in the next instant, there was a large, dark shadow looming over me.

My heart stopped, my eyes going wide as I spun around, only to find the Shredder with his blades raised above my head.

I heard the sound of metal piercing my flesh before I felt the searing pain.

And just like that, everything I had fought for, everything I thought I _was_, everything I thought I _knew_…

…it all shattered like glass before my very eyes.

And as the blood sprayed out of my shoulder, my eyes rolling into the back of my head as I reeled backwards, only one, final thought entered my mind…

_I'm done for. It's over._

_I failed them._

My head hit the ground, and everything spiraled into a terrifying darkness…


	2. Chapter 2

Darkness.

That was the first thing I was coherently aware of as I opened my eyes, and it was all I could see in this abyss I had found myself in. My eyes were open, I knew that, but I saw nothing beyond my own hands, trembling weakly, scarred and dirty in front of my face. With a shudder, I quickly closed them again. It made no difference of course, because whether my eyes were open or closed, I could only see the darkness. But for some reason, I felt safer that way.

The second thing I noticed was that I was floating. Or, at least I _think _I was. I felt completely weightless, and I felt nothing solid beneath my feet. I wasn't flying…I wasn't floating…what _was _I doing? Where _was_ I exactly?

Then the third thing I noticed was that I was in pain.

My whole body suddenly felt as if it was on fire. My arms and legs ached, my chest seemed to have caved in, crushing my lungs and hindering my breaths, which were already shallow and strained. My throat felt strange, as if there was some sort of lump lodged in there and I couldn't get it out, even if I coughed. And I could have sworn that my spine was fractured; my back was stiff and if I moved, the pain only worsened. Did I crack my shell?

But the worst pain was coming from my shoulder.

I didn't want to open my eyes. I didn't want to look at the damage. But I had to know why it was hurting so badly. Bracing myself, I opened them and looked down at my right shoulder.

I couldn't hold back the gasp of horror at what I saw.

Two large, bloody gouges lined the space between my collar bone and stretched down to my chest, were part of my plastron was scarred and fractured. My already stressed breaths began to come out in ragged, panicked gasps once I realized that I was still bleeding out, the dark crimson liquid pumping profusely from out of my wounds as it trickled down my arm and my chest. I could even see the bone through the bloody flesh that was supposed to be my green skin…

My eyes went wide, and despite knowing that hyperventilating would only worsen my condition, I didn't care. All I knew was that I was scared. I was scared, I was hurt, and as I darted my gaze left and right, I knew that I was on my own. I had no idea where I was or how I got here. Better yet, how the heck did this happen to me? Who did this to me? How did I –

And then I remembered.

A spark of light flashed before my eyes as everything came flooding back to me all at once.

_The Kraang took our home…the Foot Bots attacked me all at once…Rahzar, Tiger Claw and Fishface…the uncontrollable rage that coursed through me as I screamed, fighting them off one by one…_

_Then the Shredder appeared…and everything shattered like glass before my very eyes…_

Shredder.

Oh god. I was dead, wasn't I? Shredder struck me down, and now I was...

I was _dead_. I had failed. I couldn't beat them, not matter how hard I fought, I just couldn't beat them. And now here I was. I was alone, cold, afraid, and my brothers were probably –

_My brothers._

_Splinter._

Oh no.

Oh _god_ please **_no._**

They had no idea what had happened to me. They had been counting on me to come back to them, to lead them all to safety and then find Master Splinter, together…and I had failed them all. I left them all behind, because I was too weak to stop the Foot, to stop the Shredder…to stop _anything_.

_Raph…Mikey…Donnie…April…Casey…Master Splinter…_

I squeezed my eyes shut, my body curling up into a fetal position as I threw my arms over my head. The tears rolled down my cheeks and floated away into the empty darkness as I cried.

I hadn't cried like this since I was younger, back when I was still scared of monsters under my bed that would snatch me away and eat my alive. Back then, I would cry into my pillow until Splinter –my father – came into my room and held me against his chest, gently stroking the back of my head until I fell asleep again, feeling safe within his strong arms.

I was no different from the child I had been so long ago as I sobbed uncontrollably in the confinement of the darkness. And this time, I was on my own. Splinter wasn't going to come for me. He wasn't going to hug me and tell me that everything was alright, that I was only dreaming.

Because how could you bring comfort to a dead child?

* * *

><p>I didn't know how long had passed, but my tears eventually subsided. But I didn't feel any change within me, other than the fact that I felt heavier, like a weight had been pressed upon me.<p>

April had once told us that humans sometimes cried when they felt they needed to let their emotions out, be they happy or sad, and later they would feel lighter, like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

That wasn't the case with me. Instead, I just felt empty. I was still in pain, and the bleeding from my shoulder wouldn't stop, but now added to that pain was a hollow, bare feeling.

Still curled up, my eyes stared numbly into the endless abyss before me. I was still so cold, but my body was already too numb to shiver anymore. My wounds continued to throb painfully, but again, I was too worn to care. I was dead. There was no point in worrying about anything anymore…

But if I was dead, then why was I still in pain? Why was I still so cold?

Splinter once told us as children that when we died, we were reborn again, but we were not the same. We were born in different bodies, raised by different parents, lived different lives, and eventually died a different death, only for the cycle to repeat itself over and over again for all eternity.

Was that what was going to happen to me? Was I going to be reborn again soon, and start that cycle once again? Or could it be that…

…could the fact that I could still feel this emptiness, that I could still feel _at all_…maybe I wasn't actually dead?

Maybe I was hovering in that strange place between life and death? I wasn't dead _yet_…but I was dying. And my death would be slow and painful, just like how the Shredder had slowly worn me out, pushed me to my limits, until he saw fit to end it all with a single blow…

It was then that I heard something that brought me out of my thoughts. It didn't come from me. It came from outside the darkness. It was…a voice.

_"…I'm sorry, Leo. You were right."_

I gasped, my eyes going wide. I knew that voice…

Donatello?

Where was he? I couldn't see him anywhere within this dark place. That could only mean that…he was alive?! What about Raph, Mikey and the others? Were they okay too? And I could hear him, which could only mean that I…

I really was alive, too? Just unconscious?

"…_If we'd just left the city when you said, the Kraang would never have found the Lair and started the invasion…none of this would've happened."_

Donnie's voice, though it was the most blessed thing I've heard since I appeared in this emptiness, sounded so lost, so broken…like he was on the verge of tears himself.

Oh, little brother. It wasn't your fault that this happened; you were only trying to help. The fault was _mine_ for not being able to see that. I was blinded by my ego, by my fear of everything going wrong that I failed to realize that, maybe, you were right all along.

It was I who failed to protect _you_.

That's what I would have said if my voice could work. I wanted so badly to reach out to my brother, to hold him close as we did when we were small, and tell him that everything was going to be alright. But I couldn't see him. I couldn't touch him. And even then, he wouldn't have heard me from wherever I was…

At least I could find some peace in knowing that my brothers were alive, even if I _had _failed them…and yet, as I closed my eyes again, though I knew my brother was there by my side, somewhere within this darkness, I still found myself feeling so alone…

I was alive. I knew that now. But I had never felt more lifeless…

* * *

><p>Time seemed to be almost non-existent in this void. I knew that it had passed, but I didn't know how much. It could have been minuets, hours, or a day? Or perhaps it had been months, maybe even years. Well, however long had passed, I knew it had been too long since I'd heard Donnie's voice. His broken, lost voice still echoed in my ears…it killed me on the inside to think about it, but it was the only thing that kept me sane.<p>

It was the only thing that I had left to connect to reality.

* * *

><p>More 'time' had passed, though it felt like mere seconds before I started to feel it.<p>

Though I was still alone and lost, I noticed a slow but subtle change in my body. I found that I was no longer in pain. Well, I _was_, but it was nowhere near as unbearable as it had been before. My back still hurt, and my limbs were still very sore, but I found I could actually move now with little difficulty.

But what shocked me the most was what had happened to my shoulder. The wound had miraculously closed by itself, as if it was healing, or someone had stitched it together somehow. I assumed it was the latter, since it had left a scar behind. The wound itself still hurt, like the rest of me, but it too had subsided.

And on top of that, I realized I was starting to get warmer. I felt as if I was sitting in a blessedly warm pool of water, finally shutting out the bitter cold at long last.

And as I continued to get warmer, I started to become more aware. I could hear whispers of voices now. They were nowhere near as loud as Donnie's had been, but I could still hear them. It had to be some kind of sign or a signal of something…a sign that I was coming out of it…

Then something even more puzzling happened. Before, I had been floating weightlessly in darkness, suspended by nothing but thin air. However, I suddenly found myself slowly but surely lowered to a solid surface. I blinked rapidly as I looked around where I lay on my side, but I still saw nothing. Was this a sign that I was getting better? Was I…was I finally going to wake up? Well, if not that, at least I wasn't floating anymore.

Slowly uncurling from the position I hadn't moved from since my tears had stopped, I tried to stand up…only to come crashing down again with a pained cry as my right leg gave way.

Lying back on the 'floor', I clutched my throbbing leg. Why hadn't I felt that before? Maybe that pain was overlooked by everything else. Damn it all, it hurt so badly.

If I wasn't going to wake up, then why all of this pain? Why all of this misery? Was I simply doomed to lie here in agony for the rest of eternity for my failures?

Was this my fate?

Was this…death?

Suddenly, I felt something take my left hand and hold it tight. I jumped in fright at the contact. What was that? I reached out to grab at whatever was touching me, only for my free hand to close on thin air. I was confused…and yet, even though at first I was afraid, it was oddly comforting and familiar. It was soft yet coarse, like the palm of your hand if you had been using a weapon for so long…

Wait…a hand…a large, rough, three fingered hand…

…and then a voice. It was deep, and just as rough as the hand holding my own, and just as soft, if not broken.

"…_Leo…wake up, bro…"_

My eyes went wide, and a shuddering breath left my lungs. I knew that voice. I knew that hand grasping mine.

And then, for the first time in what felt like an eternity, I was finally able to find my voice as I uttered a single name…

"…Raphael?"

The moment that name left my lips was the moment in which a spell was broken. The darkness suddenly fell and crumbled around me, revealing bright, beautiful rays of light. As the light enveloped me, I no longer felt the cold, and I was no longer afraid as I sound the will to struggle to my feet again, reaching out to the light, as if I were reaching towards a hand…

…and the hand took my own, and I was pulled from the darkness…

* * *

><p>My eyelids felt like weights as I slowly forced them open. My sight was blurry, and my mind was a muddled haze, but I could just make out my surroundings. I was in some kind of old bathroom or something. I didn't recognize it at all. Where was I?<p>

When I looked down, I realized I was sat inside a bathtub filled with warm water. Now I knew the source of the warmth whilst I was in that dark place.

Blinking slowly, I turned my head to my left…and I found that my hand was being held in the tight grip of my younger brother, Raphael.

He had both his hands clasped around mine, holding it tight as if he was afraid if he let go, I would disappear. His head was bowed lowly, and his eyes were shut. Was he asleep? How long had he been sat beside me on that old wooden stool?

Then I heard sniffling.

And as I continued to watch my brother with my weak gaze, I saw a steady trickle of tears slide down his cheeks. His shoulders shook with effort to contain the sobs that threatened to burst from him as his grip on my limp hand tightened, almost desperately.

"…Leo," he whispered, his voice cracking at the edges. "…come back to us. You've been like this for months, and the others…we're starting to lose it, Leo. W-we miss you. We _need_ you…_I _need you. And I never even got the chance to tell you that…"

His voice trailed off as he bit down on his lower lip. I didn't move, and I said nothing as waited for him to finish, though I could hardly hold back my own tears as they slipped down my cheeks.

"…I love you, brother…"

I felt my heart nearly shatter to pieces as my brother, my strong, hot-headed little brother, cried by my side, clinging onto my like a lost child. And that's exactly what we both were. We were both a couple of scared, lost little kids in a messed up world…

But despite that, I knew I couldn't let my brother cry like this. I had to show him that I was still with him, that I had heard his pleas and that I would never, _ever _leave him again…

I found the strength to grip Raph's hand as he held mine.

Raph froze, his emerald eyes snapping open in shock. Slowly, he lifted his head up to look at me. Our eyes finally met, and he let out breath that borderline a gasp and a chocked sob as he stared at me. He blinked several times, almost as if he couldn't believe this was happening. "…L…Leo?" he whispered, his voice wavering with uncertainty.

I smiled at him through my tears. I knew I was weak. I knew that every inch of me was burning with pain, including my throat as I struggled to speak, but I'd be damned if I let that keep me from telling my little brother exactly what he needed to hear…and telling my brother what I wanted to tell him for so long…

"…I l-love you t-too, Raphie…"

Despite the fact that my voice sounded like gravel (and had it suddenly gotten _deeper_?), the expression that Raph gave me told me that it was probably the most beautiful sound in the world.

More tears spilled down his cheeks as he leapt off his stool, and within seconds I found myself enveloped in a warm, strong embrace unlike any other as Raph wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest. It hurt a little, but I endured it as I brought up a hand to grip Raph's arm, squeezing it reassuringly as he held me close. I knew it was selfish, but I needed this. No, I've _craved_ this for god knows how long, and I wasn't about to waste it.

He was smiling, but the tears wouldn't stop. "LEO! You're okay!" he cried, nuzzling his cheek against my own. "Thank god…I thought you'd never wake up…"

I smiled against him. Raph never showed any of us this much affection, and I gladly relished the moment. And I couldn't hold back as I squeezed my eyes shut, the tears flowing from my eyes as we held each other, neither of us ready to let go just yet.

I thanked the stars that I was even able to do this.

I thanked whoever was listening to my prayers, over and over again, that I was still alive, that my younger brother was safe in my arms…

And if Raphael was here, then that must mean…

"…Raph," I said, inwardly wincing at the sound of my voice (_again_) as we reluctantly pulled away, and I looked up at him. "…w-where's Donnie and Mikey?" I asked him. "A-are they…?"

After using the back of his hand to wipe away the tears (tough the dampness on his mask would still be evident) he nodded and smiled at me again. "T-they're downstairs, I'll get them for ya!" he said, and then just in front of the door before shouting, "GUYS! GUYS! GET UP HERE!"

Seconds later, the sound of feet stomping rapidly up stairs rang through the…wherever we were, and then two more familiar figures burst through the bathroom door before coming to a stop beside the bathtub, gawking at the sight of me.

Mikey…

Donnie…

They were all here. They were all okay.

"Leo?!" Donnie cried, beaming as tears began to form as he stared down at me with those two brown eyes filled with relief.

I smiled up at all of them. "…hey guys," I said, my voice getting stronger now. Still it sounded so _strange, _like it wasn't really _me _talking, but someone else. What happened to me exactly?

"LEO! YOU'RE BACK! DUDE!" Mikey cried, tears running down his cheeks as he launched himself at me as Raph had done before, hugging me around my neck, but with more force. In fact, this time it actually _hurt_ as he held me tighter as if I were a teddy bear.

"Ah! Ow, it's okay, Mikey. Ow, that hurts…" I grunted weakly, patting Mikey's hand in reassurance as he nuzzled his tear-stained face against mine. But even though it hurt, I found myself smiling. He was only excited to see me again…as I was just as happy to see them. I would have returned the hug with gusto, but right now, everything just _burned._

"Hey, take it easy," Raph cautioned, patting Mikey's shoulder, but his smile never faded. In fact, they were all still smiling down at me, and even Donnie had let a few tears of joy flow.

My three little brothers. They were all here, safe and sound and gathered around me as I finally came to my senses. It was, without a doubt, the best thing I could have woken up to after so long of being trapped in the darkness alone…

"Let us get you outta here," Raph offered, and I made no argument as the three of them helped me out of the bath (though I missed the warmness of the water) and set my bare feet down on solid ground. I looked down at myself, and realized that not only were my wrappings gone, but so was all of my gear, including my mask. I felt oddly exposed, but at that moment, it didn't matter.

I had a lot of questions that were in need of answering, but those could wait for a little while. All I wanted right now was to share this moment with my brothers.

That's all I _ever_ wanted.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hi guys! I decided I would do this fic in Leo's P.O.V _only_. It was only fitting, tbh. I mean, i think it'd be easier just to focus on one turtle for now, and I think it would be more fun and interesting to show how Leo eventually heals up and takes his stand. **

**This one was ESPECIALLY depressing for me to write, but it was interesting to experiment with. I hope you enjoyed it!  
><strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hello! Sorry for the lack of updates! I was seriously sick last weekend, so I couldn't even LOOK at a screen, or keep my eyes open. But now I'm back!...with more depressing stuff...dang it.**

**Here is chapter 3 of Shattered! **

**I OWN NOTHING!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>The trip down the stairs of this old house was pretty tricky. My right leg was throbbing painfully, and if I dared put even a little bit of weight on it, it would start to hurt like crazy. But lucky for me, I had three little brothers to lean on as they helped me down one step at a time. Raph was on my left, draping my arm over his shoulders and pressing his free hand against my back. Mikey was behind me, and he wouldn't let go of my hand even as I draped it around Raph's shoulder. Donnie was on my right, wrapping my other arm around his shoulders as well as we steadily walked to the bottom of the staircase. I never thought a simple trip down the stairs would be so hard.<p>

I was finally about to ask where we were exactly, but then another familiar face caught my attention as we entered the living room.

It was April.

Her blue eyes were wide and overflowing with tears as she stared at me, and her hand trembled as she brought it up to cover her mouth. I hadn't seen April cry in a while, and it admittedly startled me, but instead I gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Hey, April," I said, my voice still pretty weak from lack of use. But that was all it took before April crossed the room and wrapped her arms around my neck in a tight hug.

As she buried her face into the crook of my neck, I could feel her tears flow as she sniffed. Releasing my arm from around Donnie's shoulder, I held her close, letting her have her moment.

"…thank god you're back, Leo," she murmured into my shoulder.

"…it's good to be back, April. Believe me," I replied honestly, tightening my hold around her even though it pulled at my bruises a bit, but I didn't care. I was just really, _really _happy to see her again after…

…actually, how long _had _it been since I've seen her? A few days or weeks possibly?

"Hey, Leo!" called another oh-so familiar voice from the kitchen as he came out to greet me, and as April and I reluctantly parted, my smile grew upon seeing the tall, gapped toothed human, Casey Jones himself. He approached me, and slapped a hand on my shoulder as he grinned down at me. It hurt a bit, and my left eye twitched as I let out a wince, but at least I managed to keep upright. "Great to see you again, buddy!" he cheered.

I smiled. "Good to see you too, Casey."

His expression twisted into confusion the sound of my voice, and I probably would've laughed, but I was in desperate need to sit down and take some weight off my throbbing leg. My brothers must have sensed my discomfort as they carefully moved me over to sit on the couch. I let out a breath of relief as I finally sat down, and I winced again as I felt my whole body start to ache. Damn, what did they do to me? Either it was my injuries, or it was that fact that I was stiff from not moving for so long…despite still not knowing how long I've been out for.

"I should inspect your vitals, Leo. Just to make sure that everything's okay," Donnie advised as he walked out of the living room and it the kitchen. I kinda missed that 'Doctor Donnie' voice he always used to use whenever we got hurt after patrol; it felt pretty good to hear it again, but I knew that the patronizing would come next.

Raph sat down in the arm chair on my left, and April stood between us, wiping away the tears from her eyes. Mikey quickly took a seat on my right, beaming up at me as he crossed his legs on the couch and rocked slightly. I couldn't help but chuckle as I reached out and rubbed his head affectionately, just like I used to do. "You don't have to keep staring at me like I'm gonna disappear, Mikey," I told him gently. "I don't think I'm going anywhere anytime soon, little brother."

Mikey frowned, his shoulders hunching as he looked down at his feet just as Donnie came back with the first-aid kit. "…well, yeah, I know _that_, but…we really missed you, Leo," he said, brightening up a little as he spread his arms out like he was about to hug me again. "We missed you like you wouldn't _believe_!"

"Mikey, please try not to hug him too much right now, okay?" Donnie cautioned, taking out his stethoscope and placing it over my chest, nodding to himself every once in a while. "Remember, leaving him in the water may have helped in healing him, but he's still in very poor condition. No roughing him up."

Pouting like a child, Mikey sat back into the couch, crossing his arms. "But he was in there for three months, dude! You'd think _everything _would have healed already –"

My eyes shot wide open. "Wait, _what?!" _I cried, gaining the attention of everyone as they all looked at me in alarm from my outburst.

I couldn't believe what I'd just heard…I was in that bathtub, and that dark, terrifying abyss, for that long? How could that be?

I shook my head as I let out a breath, remembering that Donnie was still checking my heart as I forced myself to calm down. "…so we've been here for _three months_?" I repeated, still unable to fully grasp this. "I've been out _that long_?"

Nodding sadly, April laid her hand softly on my shoulder. "You had us worried sick, Leo," she said, and then gestured Raph with her other hand. "Raph barely slept."

Raph rolled his eyes and waved her off. "Ah, it was nothing," he scoffed.

But he and I both knew that wasn't the case. And I couldn't restrain the burst of pride for my younger brother; he'd stayed by my side for all that time, losing sleep…and it was all for me. Still, there was a pang of regret in knowing that as well. I worried them all so much…

And then I realized as Donnie quickly took my wrist and bent it back and forth experimentally that I wasn't just knocked out. No, it was worse than that. For three whole months, I was in a _coma_.

What the Foot Bots, the Shredder and his henchmen did to me was bad enough to put me in a damn coma.

"So, like, why does he sound different?" Casey asked no one in particular, and I made a face. I knew that _someone _was going to ask about that sooner or later, though I thought Mikey would have said something already. Maybe his excitement made him overlook it, or he just didn't want to offend me.

Taking the stethoscope from off my chest, Donnie looked up at me with a twinge of sadness in his eyes. "He sustained damage to his throat," he answered as he put the stethoscope back in the first-aid box and rummaged through for something else, "…and pretty much everywhere else for that matter…"

As if on cue, I felt a surge of pain run through my left arm, and I let out a hiss and groan as I pitched forwards. From the corner of my eye, I saw Raph nearly get up from his seat as he watched me with a worried gaze. Damn it, first my leg, then my throat, and now my arm? What's next, my freaking eyes? I seriously _hoped_ not. I wouldn't be able to stand it if I went blind now.

Donnie quickly took out a glowing vial of green liquid and a spoon from the first-aid box, taking of the cork as he poured the stuff into the spoon. Wait a second…was that _mutagen_? Where did he even get that stuff out here? And why would he want to _give _it to me?!

"Here, have some of my special patented mutagen medicine," he offered, holding the spoon out to me as he smiled reassuringly. "You'll be healed in no time."

I found myself, once again, totally baffled by my younger brother. He managed to make a medicine out of that? Well, I couldn't really argue with Donnie's logic at this point…well, not _again_, anyways. If he said it was safe, I was just going to have to believe him. So I allowed him to give me the medicine…

And as soon as I swallowed it, I immediately wanted to throw it right back up again.

"_Ugh_!" I gagged, cringing as I held my stomach and shuddered, "it tastes like sh–"

I stopped abruptly and glanced at Mikey. Nope, can't say _that _in front of him.

"…it tastes like it's supposed to come _out _of me, not go _into _me," I said instead, though it was still pretty crude. But it was true, that stuff did taste like…well, what we used to have before we discovered pizza.

Raph was suddenly beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into a half-hug. "First thing tomorrow, we're gonna start training again, you and me," he alleged, thumping me in the chest lightly with his fist, though it still nearly knocked the wind out of me. "I'll have you on your feet in no time, bro."

As he smiled at me, I smiled back. He knew how much I loved training back then, and I knew how much he wanted me to get better again. But with the way I was now, barely able to stand on my own, and with just about every single muscle in my body still aching with a vengeance, I just hoped I could still do it.

I _had _to. Somehow.

* * *

><p>Later that night, after Donnie finished looking me over, he had me escorted first class to one of the spare bedrooms upstairs to rest (and by 'first class', he meant having Raph carry me on his shell like we had done when we were kids, walking all the way up the flight of stairs and only stumbling once or twice in the process). The room was a decent size with a bed and a chest of drawers, basically all the essentials you would need in a normal room. And damn, the bed was so comfortable, almost like sleeping on a cloud.<p>

Though it made me miss my old room a little, but I didn't dare mention that out loud. In fact, there were a lot of things that I hadn't mentioned, like what had happened to April's dad. Or what happened to Master Splinter.

Those questions could wait until tomorrow. I knew they would want to hide it from me, but I wouldn't let them.

I _had _to know what had happened to my father.

Once Raph sent me down on the bed, I was already so worn out that I pretty much passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow. Though I did feel the thick blanket be draped over my still form, and Raph's gentle hand pat me softly on the head before he left, whispering something along the lines of "sleep well, big brother," before the door closed, and I was left alone again.

But not for long, of course.

My sleep had been dreamless. I didn't know how late or how early it was, or how long I had been asleep for, when I was suddenly awoken again by the sound of the door slowly creaking open. My body tensed out of old instinct, and I didn't dare to open my eyes as the intruder shut the door behind them and walked towards me.

"…Leo? You awake?" he whispered.

With my eyes still closed, I couldn't fight the smile that spread across my face. "No," I whispered back.

I heard Mikey giggle at that, and I finally cracked my eye open to find him perched at the foot of my bed, staring at me with wide, baby blue eyes that seemed to glow in the dark like a star. He didn't say anything else for several minutes, simply fidgeting idly, but I knew exactly what he was here for. He was still worried for me. He wanted to make sure that this was really happening, that I was really awake now and that I wasn't going anywhere again.

It was to be expected, though. After all, he was the last one to see me before I…

I let out a soft breath. I knew he was scared, and admittedly, so was I; after so long of being alone in that dark, cold abyss that I couldn't escape, I _needed_ to be with my family, more so than ever before. Without them near, I felt as though I was slowly being drawn back into that darkness again, only once it had me, I would never come out again.

The thought of being alone again, leaving my family behind, terrified me to my very core. I just came back to them…I couldn't leave them, not again…

I had already passed out before Raph left me here, so my fear hadn't exactly made itself known. But Mikey made me realize just how afraid I was of the darkness surrounding me, trying to devour me whilst I slept unaware…

And Mikey must have known that, otherwise he wouldn't still be here. He and I shared a strange connection at times, where we would instantly know if one of us was afraid or upset by something. I'd always thought it was that odd baby brother and big brother connection that often occurred, but now I realized…it was something more than that.

Without a word, I shuffled to the side of the bed, making more room for my little brother as he willingly, and eagerly, crawled next to me and covered us both with the blanket before snuggling against me, wrapping his arms around me in a tight but careful hug. As he nuzzled his head underneath my chin, I wrapped my arms around him in turn, resting my cheek atop his head and closing my eyes.

"…I missed you, Leo…" I heard him mumble against me.

I tightened my hold around him. "…I know. I missed you too," I whispered to him. "…and Mikey? Thanks. I…I needed this."

Mikey let out a faint, tired laugh. "I knew that, dude. Why did you think I came in here? We _all _need this, big brother."

Letting out a yawn, I nodded drowsily. "I guess that's true," I said as sleep began to take me over once again. Though the darkness was still there, I wasn't as afraid as I had been. I had my brother with me now, keeping me safe and warm from the dark. I knew that with him by my side, I was protected. I wasn't going _anywhere _anytime soon.

Michelangelo would make sure of that.

* * *

><p>The next morning, I awoke to the sunlight gleaming through the window, the sound of birds chirping outside…and a three part chorus of snoring?<p>

Confused, I finally cracked my eyes open, and looked down to find that Mikey was still there by my side. He hadn't moved an inch since last night. So then why did I feel another presence behind my shell?

I craned my neck to glance behind me, and I found the owner of the loudest snore. It was Raphael, hugging me from behind with his cheek pressed against my shell. I smiled and rolled my eyes. Of _course _he would come in here after Mikey did. After all, he had been the one to watch over me during those three months. He must have thought that even though he knew I was going to be fine (or at least I _hoped _I was going to be fine) he figured that his job wasn't done yet.

I didn't resent it, though. I was more than happy to have him, even if he was crushing me a little bit.

And I had a pretty good idea of who was pillowing their head on my foot at the end of the bed. Sure enough as I looked over Mikey, I could see Donnie with his arms crossed beneath his head on my feet. And I realized as I saw the way his body was angled across the bed that his feet were resting on top of Raph's shell, meaning the poor guy had to squeeze himself onto the already crowded bed. I found myself smiling a little wider. He was just as concerned for me as the others were…

My smile faded a little. He must still be blaming himself for what happened. I remembered his voice whilst I was in that abyss…

"_I'm sorry, Leo. You were right_. _If we'd just left the city when you said, the Kraang would never have found the Lair and started the invasion…none of this would've happened."_

I wanted to reach out to my brother, to pat him on the head or even hug him, just to show him that he had done nothing wrong…that it was _my _fault that I hadn't been there for them, and instead had gotten myself separated from them all, and ended up in a coma for three months because of my ego, my _weakness_…

But my arms were pretty much pinned to my sides with Raph and Mikey clinging onto me like a couple of panda bears.

And worse, I couldn't feel my feet anymore.

* * *

><p>"Come on, Leo! You gotta build up those muscles! You've gotten super weak!" Raph called as he walked ahead of me, reaching the edge of the creak before I had even made it through the bushes.<p>

I grunted in mild annoyance in response. "Don't…rub it in," I muttered crossly.

After I had managed to wake my brothers up and get them off of me before I lost all feeling in my legs completely, the guys groggily helped me down the stairs again, where we were all greeted brightly by April, who was up long before us preparing breakfast. Usually Mikey was the one who made breakfast, but this time April beat him to it, not that he or the rest of us really complained.

We happened to be served with crispy bacon with cereal and juice on the side. But as soon as I saw the food, I knew I wasn't going to be able to keep it in for too long. In fact, just _looking_ at it made me want to hurl again. But I had to, for their sakes, and for my own if I even hoped to get any better. And it was pretty good, I had to admit, but I really had to force it down. And it only made matters worse when Donnie had me take more of that medicine he made me, which still tasted like splodge.

Though it made me chuckle a bit when I saw the label he'd written on it; 'Leo's Elixir'. It was silly, but it had a nice ring to it.

After breakfast, the guys explained to me that we were in April's old farmhouse upstate, far away from the city. I didn't have to ask what happened, because it was pretty obvious.

The Kraang had taken over. We lost the fight. We lost our homes.

But what about our father? Was he okay? Was he waiting for us, hidden somewhere safe from the Kraang?

Before I could finally ask, Casey suddenly came into the living room, looking a little on the scruffy side. He looked as if he'd been in the barn all night, with bits of hay sticking out of his hair and his clothes, and his face was pretty dirty as well. His entire appearance had grabbed April's attention as she sent him a glare, telling us all that she was less than pleased with him walking into the house that dirty. However, I was drawn to what he was holding in his hands. It was a long, wooden crutch.

He shrugged at me as he offered me my little 'gift', and I took it from him. "Hey, it's not much, but I figured it's better than being carried by Raph all the time," he chuckled, and brought up his arm to shield his face from Raph's hand as he swiped at him. "And besides, Raph said that you and him were gonna start training. You'll have to be on your feet first, don't you think?"

After gazing down at the cane, I looked back up at Casey and smiled softly. "Thanks, Casey. I appreciate it, really," I said, and he smiled back at me.

In truth, the crutch did help a lot; I was able to stand upright on my own for the first time, though it still hurt to stand _at all_. Even so, as I followed Raph outside the house and into the woods, I found myself feeling more downcast than before.

I wasn't walking with Raph, I was _hobbling _after him, like a weak, crippled old man trying his best to keep up with his grandchild. And in truth, that's exactly what I felt like. I felt old, I felt tired, and I felt weak.

But I had to at least _try _to get better. I couldn't let them down again by not being strong enough. We had to get back to the city. We had to find Master Splinter…

As I continued after Raph, my foot slipped against the wet grass, and I let out a cry as I fell to the ground, landing on my backside. My right leg began to throb again, and I let out another hiss of pain as I clutched me knee. Looking up, I saw that Raph was staring down at me with a look that, at that moment, I really hated. But I knew I deserved it.

It was pity.

"…I don't think I'm…" I began lowly, looking down at the grass as I finally confessed, "…I don't think I'm ever gonna be the same again…"

And it was true. I was just kidding myself the whole time. If I couldn't even _limp_ without falling over, then there was no way I was going to get better…

"Don't talk like that!" Raph barked at me as I finally tore my eyes up from the grass and looked up to witness the defiance in his expression. "That's not the Leo I know! Now come on! Let's cross this creek!" he encouraged.

He was trying his best to convince me, I knew that, but as I stood up again, grunting with effort and pain, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the waters below me, and I frowned deeply.

What I saw wasn't the same ninja turtle I thought I'd been over two years ago. That young turtle had dreamed of being a strong, proud leader like his cartoon idol Captain Ryan, and becoming a great ninja warrior that could fight side by side with his brothers. He'd dreamed of being just like his father, and to make him proud one day.

Now though, that turtle was gone. Now there was a strange, mask-less mutant staring back at me with a pair of dim, pain filled blue eyes, unable to even walk in a straight line anymore, let alone fight.

That was what I'd become. I was just too weak, too crippled…too _broken_ to pick up my shattered pieces from off the ground and build myself back up again. That's all I was.

I was just a broken child with broken dreams.

I lurched forward as I put too much pressure on my leg again, groaning in pain. This was pathetic. Even if I wasn't going to be the same ninja I had been, I had to find a way to at least ease the physical pain, if not the mental pain. So I dug into my belt pocket and took out my Elixir, unscrewing the cork and taking a swig of it, still cringing at the taste as I sealed it again.

That was a big mistake, which I realized too late as my vision began to swim. I could just make out Raph's voice calling out to me, but his voice sounded lower than usual and distorted. As I brought up the vile of Elixir to my face, my eyes widened. It was only a few minutes since I'd taken my medicine, when Donnie had advised me to only take it every four hours.

I'd just overdosed with mutagen.

"Oh man," I slurred with dread, the bottle slipping from my numbed grip, landing on the grass completely forgotten as I reeled backwards. I could feel it rising from my gut, and I couldn't stop it. "…I-I'm gonna –"

I turned around and heaved up everything, my breakfast _and _the mutagen medicine as I fell to my knees. Panting, I lifted my hand and wiped the saliva from my mouth with the back of my hand. That was utterly vile.

Raph was by my side seconds later, putting an arm around my shoulders. "You okay, Leo?" he asked me worriedly, an anxious frown creasing his features as he looked down at me.

"…I think it's that medicine Donnie gave me," I admitted, hunching forward as I clutched my aching stomach. "I-I'm not feeling too good…"

I felt Raph tighten his hold around my shoulders as he helped me to stand up again, though I wavered unsteadily as he led me away from the creek. "Come on, let's get you back to the farmhouse," he said, "You need some rest."

Even though I hobbled along beside him, I couldn't help but scowl. I didn't need rest. I've had enough of that for the past _three months _already. What I needed was answers. And though I knew he wouldn't answer me right away, or try to dodge the question completely, I _had _to know now…

"…Raph, what happened to Master Splinter?" I asked.

He stopped so abruptly that I nearly tripped over my own feet.

I turned to him, and he was frozen where he stood, his eyes wide and staring straight ahead of us unseeingly, almost as if he were seeing a ghost. It sent a chill running down my spine, but I had to press on. I put my hand on his shoulder, shaking him lightly. "Raph? _Raph!" _I called out to him.

He gasped suddenly, blinking rapidly as if he'd just been slapped in the face, and he looked back up at me. My expression softened as I released his shoulder. "Raph, I _need _to know…what happened to dad?"

I hardly ever used the word 'dad' for Master Splinter. It was either Sensei or father for us, though Mikey would occasionally call him that either when he was worried about him…or if he wanted something from him. For me, it was the former. I was worried about our father. I had no idea if he was okay, and right now, Raph was the only one who would be able to tell me.

Raph bit his lip, averting his eyes from me as he looked down at the grass. I saw how his eyes started to water, and my heart began to sink with dread.

"…Master Splinter is…" he began, his voice wavering as he shut his eyes. "…he's…he's dead, Leo…"

It was as if Shredder had sliced through me again, but this time through my heart.

My eyes were wide, and already tears were dripping down my face, but I shook my head. "…n-no…t-that can't be…" I breathed, struggling to remain standing as my legs began to feel weak beneath me. That wasn't true. Splinter wasn't dead. He _couldn't _be. He was stronger than that; I _knew _he could take down any old Kraang Droid. He _couldn't _have lost –

"…we saw it all," Raph continued, looking up at me now with tears in his eyes, struggling to keep his voice from wavering any more. "…w-we couldn't get through the stupid bars, a-and Shredder…"

_Shredder?_

Oh no. Oh _god_, **_no_**.

My legs finally gave way as I fell to my knees, my tears pouring from my eyes as I stared down at the ground, my teeth ground together hard enough to shatter them as I fought to keep my sobs at bay. My fingers clenched into tight, shaking fists in the grass.

Shredder had found Splinter. That monster had found my father, and he'd killed him. All because I hadn't been able to stop him. Because I had to let go of my anger and lose control. Because I was a _failure_.

I shut my eyes and buried my hands into my grass stained palms.

Our father was _dead_…because of **_me._**

I heard a thud in front of me, and I looked up to find that Raph was on his knees as well, sobbing into his hands as his shoulders shook. I stared at his hunched, vulnerable form for only a moment, before my eyes narrowed and I lunged forwards, wrapping my arms around my younger brother in a tight, unbreakable embrace as I held him close. Even as he wrapped his arms around me and cried against my shoulder, and my own tears cascaded down my cheeks, I didn't dare let him go.

Our Sensei, our father, was gone. Everything we knew and loved was gone. But we had each other. And though I was responsible for his loss, and I knew I wasn't half the person I'd been before now, I couldn't sit idly by anymore. Leader or not, I was their brother first before anything else.

I had to take up the mantel in Splinters' absence. _I_ had to take care of my family now.

"…Raph," I finally managed to say, though my voice was shaking terribly as I held my brother tighter, "…I'm sorry. I'm _so _sorry. But…it'll be okay. I-I promise, everything will be okay…I _swear…_"

His sobs began to ease, and I felt him nod against my shoulder. He said nothing, but I knew he believed me. If there was anyone I could trust to have my back, to stand by my side no matter the cost, it was Raphael.

Even in our darkest moment, he was still trying to stand strong for me, for the rest of us, just like April and Casey had for the four of us…

Now I had to return the favour. I knew I would never be the same again, but I knew I had to be strong, for them.

Somehow…


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait (yet again) but I was pretty busy! I hope you guys like this chapter!  
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**I OWN NOTHING!  
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**Enjoy.**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 4<span>**

Raphael and I didn't say a word about what happened, or anything at all as we walked back to the farmhouse side by side. Though it was clear to both Donnie and Mikey, who were just walking out of the farmhouse together, that once they saw the two of us coming out of the forest, red eyed and weary, they knew that Raph had finally given me the news. They stopped in their tracks as we came closer. Neither of them said anything, and simply stared at us with silent, sad understanding. We said nothing in return.

For the four of us, known by those closest to us as the noisiest teenaged ninja brothers around, the silence that befell us was…well, to put it bluntly, it was _unnatural. _It was almost haunting to see what had become of the four of us.

Then in the blink of an eye, the four of us were moving again, and we found ourselves trapped within each other's arms in a close, fierce embrace. Squeezing my eyes shut as I locked my arms around my brothers, I could hear Mikey sniffling and shaking as he fought back tears. Donnie buried his face into my shoulder, and I tightened my grip in kind.

It was in that moment as we all stood there, hugging each other with all the strength we had in us that I knew I wasn't the only one who was suffering. I was broken. I was wounded. I was never going to be the same again. But they were all fragile, and barely holding it together. They had been so strong for three months, and Raphael's breakdown in the forest had shown me just how close they were to their limits.

I had to keep them from breaking just as I had. Even though I couldn't call myself their leader anymore, I was still their older brother. I had to keep them together, keep _myself _together, until the very end.

It was amazing how even though we were somewhere safe, away from the Shredder, the Foot and the Kraang invasion, I still found myself fighting for them.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, I was sat in the armchair next to the fireplace, my crutch resting against the side of the chair and my hands on my lap as I stared sullenly into the fire. Mikey, Donnie, Casey and Raph were all sat around the T.V, preparing to watch Mikey's new favorite show, whilst April was in the kitchen making tea for herself and me. She said that I would need some after…well, <em>everything<em>.

Tearing my eyes away from the flames, I cast a quick glance at Raph. From my viewpoint, his arms were crossed over his chest and his shoulders hunched ever so slightly. Though I couldn't see his face, I knew he was scowling. In the rocking chair near the window, Donnie was no better. He wasn't as bad as Raph, but the way he sat with his hands on his lap, his fingers messing with the wrappings on his wrist as he stared down at them, I knew the emotions from before were still raw.

Mikey was humming the tune to the opening song of his show as he waited for it to start, looking as happy as ever. He was good at hiding it from the others. Not from me, though; I knew him too well to be fooled by his little act. He was still just as upset as the rest of us, but being who he was, he wasn't about to show it, probably for our sakes more than his own.

As I looked back into the fire, that same nagging thought that had been running through my brain ever since that afternoon. From what Raph explained to me, Splinter and Shredder fought, and Shredder had killed him. The four of them – April, Donnie, Mikey and Raph – had seen it all…but there was something not right about what Raph had told me. Splinter was stronger than Shredder, that much we all knew. There must have been something that the others had missed. There was no way he could be taken out like that…there couldn't be…

Maybe I was still in denial. It was one of the five stages of grief after all…but even so, the doubt was still there. That strange feeling, like how April had described her powers the first time, was still tingling relentlessly in the back of my mind.

Splinter was still out there somewhere. He _had _to be. I just _knew _it.

Just then, April came back into the living room with a tea tray in her hands. Lost in thought, I didn't look up at her, even as she set the tray down and put my cup on the table. I let out a quiet, tired breath. "…I just can't stop thinking about Master Splinter," I said, finally looking up just as April cast me a surprised look, as did Donnie as he looked up from his lap and at me instead. "Maybe he's _not _really gone."

His eyes dulling, Donnie frowned. "We saw it happen," he said, his voice still thick with sorrow as he looked back down at his lap. "Shredder threw him down a drainpipe…"

April and I shared a quick glance as she picked up her steaming cup of tea. "…maybe Leo's right," she said with an uncertain shrug, taking me by surprise as I looked up at her. "I mean, Splinter _was _a great ninja master."

"…the greatest in his century," Raph said lowly, not turning around or looking away from the screen. We all went quiet then, unable to say anything more and drawing the whole subject to a close. But even so, I wouldn't allow words to sway me. I had faith that Splinter was still alive, recovering from the battle and hiding somewhere safe…

What if he was looking for us? What if…what if _he _thought _we _were dead? He must be devastated. Losing us after losing his wife and Karai…

_Karai…_I wonder if she was alright. Was she with Splinter? Was she looking for us just as we had looked for her? A part of me doubted that very much. But I knew she was still alive; Karai was too stubborn to die by the hands of the Kraang, or probably anyone for that matter.

"Hey dudes! The show's starting!" Mikey called out excitedly, as if he were trying to lighten the mood again as he turned back to the screen.

Out of old habit, I was about to reprimand him not to sit too close to the screen, when suddenly I didn't need to. The T.V, along with all the lights in the house, suddenly went out in the blink of an eye. I froze in my seat, my eyes going wide as my skin paled. My breaths came out in quick, quiet gasps as I clasped my trembling hands.

_Darkness. Pain. Emptiness…_

It was Mikey's dramatic whining that brought me back to the present as he wailed in front of the T.V, begging for it to turn back on again. I released a breath of relief as my body slumped, the panic quickly dying away. It was just a blackout. I wasn't back in the darkness again.

I was safe…

"Aw man, you've gotta be kidding me!" Casey cried over the sounds of Mikey's blubbering, throwing his hand up in the air in exasperation.

Donnie stood up then, looking very much done with the world in general as he stretched his arms. "It's just a blown fuse," he explained offhandedly, "I'll fix it in two shakes of a turtles' tail."

It was just as the words left his mouth that the fire suddenly went out as well, leaving only a half burnt pile of smoking wood left. I quirked a brow as I stared down at the smouldering mound. That was weird. There was no gust of wind or anything to cause the fire to go out…

Just as curious as I was, Raph and April came over just as Donnie took out his flashlight to survey the smoking logs. Narrowing his eyes, Raph huffed in annoyance. "Great. Looks like we need more firewood," he grumbled. I couldn't help but agree with his grumpiness for a change. This was a little ridiculous, I had to admit.

And to make matters worse, as well as confusing, Donnie's flashlight flickered off as well. "Are you kidding?!" Donnie barked, shaking the dead flashlight. Like _that _would turn it back on.

Even so, a chill ran down my spine. Something wasn't right. The power going out seemed reasonable enough; April said that it hadn't been lived in for quite a few years, so it was a little run down. A power out seemed inevitable. The fireplace going out was a little odd…but then the flashlight too? What was going on here?

Sighing loudly and drawing me out of my thoughts, Raph stalked out of the living room and made his way to the front door. "I'm gonna get some more firewood," he announced with a slight grumble. "Be back in a few."

April suddenly reached out and put a hand on Raph's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks as he turned to face her with a questioning look. "Be careful, Raph," she cautioned, and couldn't help but agree with her. Letting Raph go out into the woods at night didn't sit right with me, not in the least. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that I couldn't stand properly on my own, I would have done the same as April.

Brushing her hand off his shoulder gently, Raph merely waved her off with a smirk as he folded his arms over his chest. "Yeah, okay, I'll be careful. Don't want any scary rabbits or squirrels dragging me away, that's for sure."

"_Squirrels!?" _Mikey cried, latching onto Casey's leg with a yelp of fear. I rolled my eyes in annoyance as Casey tried to wrestle Mikey off his leg, but he was going nowhere. What was it all of a sudden with Mikey and squirrels anyways?

Raph didn't seem very amused either as he shook his head, opening the front door as he prepared to leave. "Seriously, I'll be fine. I've gone into the woods how many times now? I'll be right back," he said again, and without another word, he shut the door and left. As I watched him go, I couldn't restrain the urge to get up and go after him, just to make sure that he really was safe going out there on his own in the dark. But like he said, he'd been out there quite a few times with nothing bad happening, and he was strong enough to defend himself, right?

Also, if I were to go out there, I wouldn't be that much help to him, with using a crutch and being unable fight and all. I was pretty useless…

I felt a hand come to rest softly on my shoulder, and I looked up to find that April was beside me again, looking down at me with an expression that screamed of concern. "Are you okay?" she asked me softly, not that the other three would have heard her anyways; they were too busy lighting up a candle to play a game of cards or something whilst they waited for Raph to come back with the firewood.

In response to her question, I wordlessly bit my lip and nodded, looking down at my lap again and averting my gaze from hers.

I was so pathetic that I couldn't even look at her, or even offer her a half decent reply…

April seemed to take no offense however as she nodded back, walking towards the chair opposite me as she sat down. She gave me a small smile. "Don't worry about Raph, Leo," she said, "he's actually right; there's nothing out there that _he_ can't handle, or anything that can really harm him. After all, that's why I brought us here. We're all safe here."

She trailed off as she looked down at my hands, her expression softening as she stared at them. She then reached out and took my hands in hers…which was the moment I realized that they'd been clenched into tense fists the whole time. Startled, I finally gathered the will to look up into her eyes, and I found for the first time not pity, not concern, but reassurance in the cobalt orbs that matched my own.

"We're _all _safe here, Leo," she said softly, but there was a certain firmness in her voice that shook me inwardly.

But despite that edge, I managed to give her a faint smile. She was right. We were all safe here together. Nothing bad would happen to my family out here.

She smiled back at me, tightening her grip on my hands as I tightened mine on hers. "…do you want to talk about it, Leo?" she asked me.

I blinked once, and my eyes widened as I froze yet again.

_…I let out a loud roar, taking everything I had bottled up inside me for years and letting it out at last. I let it all go. My anger, my fear, my hatred, my __**everything**__._

_…I heard the sound of metal piercing my flesh before I felt the searing pain. And just like that, everything I had fought for, everything I thought I _was_, everything I thought I _knew_…it all shattered like stained-glass before my very eyes._

I was fairly aware that April was saying my name. I blinked again rapidly, shaking myself out of my nightmarish reverie as I focused back on April. I looked down at our hands held together to find that mine were shaking, and my knuckles were paling from how hard I was gripping her tiny hands, yet she showed no signs of pain.

But in her eyes, I saw her concern.

I hated it.

Loosening my hold so that I didn't crush her fingers, I looked off to the side. "…no." I whispered.

I didn't want to talk about it. I didn't want April to hear what I went through. All I wanted was to be better. To erase the past and be useful again. To erase all of my mistakes and have our Sensei back.

I just wanted to be _me _again.

I could see that she was disappointed with my answer, but April said nothing of it as she nodded her head in silent understanding. We remained silent for seemed like hours as we sat there, the only sounds being from my two younger brothers and Casey as they engaged in a rather loud game of cards. Even though we said nothing more, April didn't let go of my hands. I didn't let go of hers either. The contact felt good. I needed it, especially after everything that had happened earlier that day. I needed the contact, the reassurance…the strength that I had lost.

Stroking her thumb across my scaled hands soothingly, April looked up at me again. "…I understand, Leo. You don't want to think about it, so I'll let it go for now. But Leo…look at me."

With some hesitation, I obediently slid my gaze back up to her again, expecting to see more concern or pity, which was something I was very quickly beginning to loathe. Instead, I found something borderline with reassurance and confidence as she smiled at me.

"…I remember how you would always find ways for me to open up about my feelings when I lost my dad the first time," she said, smirking to herself at the memory. "It was hard and a little annoying at first, because I just felt that I _didn't want to talk, _but then I realized that talking actually helps. I always felt better after talking to you, because you _always _knew what to say and when to say nothing at all and just listen. And I just want you to know that…I'll _always _be here to do the same for you too, Leo…"

She released one of my hands and brought hers to lay it against my left cheek. Her touch was hesitant, almost as if she was expecting me to draw away. I didn't move an inch.

"We're _all _here for you, Leo. Whenever you're ready…" she said softly, smiling at me again. "…okay?"

I had to fight back tears again as I bit down on my lip. She was right. I didn't want to talk about it, and heaven knew if I ever _would_ talk about it to anyone…but I had comfort in knowing that they were always here for me if and when I did. After all, I would have done the same for any of them. Nodding as I brought up my hand to cover hers on my cheek, I leaned into her contact as I smiled. "…okay," I finally replied. "…thanks, April."

Before I knew it, April was out of her seat and was by my side in the next instant, wrapping her arms around my neck as she held me tightly, hugging me to her chest as her cheek came to rest atop my head. "…that's what families are for, Leo," she whispered, dropping a soft kiss on my head.

I threw my arms around her waist as I hid my face in her chest, my breath hitching as I fought for control. I wasn't as alone in all of this as I thought I'd been. I had four brothers– five counting Casey – and a sister to confide in, knowing that they would be by my side until the end.

Always…

* * *

><p>"…<strong><em>RAAAAPH!" <em>**Mikey hollered at the top of his lungs for what seemed like the millionth time in the space of a few minutes. "He's been gone for hours! **_RAAAAPH!_**"

Though outwardly I was calm, inside my heart was beating rapidly with nervousness as I held the flashlight, the beam of light scanning through the darkness of the woods beyond as we all searched for our missing brother. Two hours had passed before we finally realized that something was wrong. There was no sign of Raph anywhere. He hadn't come back from the woods at all, nor had he even called for us (though I was surprised that there was even a signal out here, but then again Donnie must have fixed that, knowing him.)

Before Raph had left, I was worried. Now, I was trying to restrain my terror. What if something had happened to him? What if there really _was _something out there and it had taken Raph?

I _knew _I should've gone with him…I should've been there to protect him.

Only I couldn't. I still needed my crutch just to stand with a flashlight that was shaking slightly in my hand. I would've been lost along with Raph, given how useless I'd become…

"_Raph! Can you hear us?!" _Casey shouted. His hood was up and all of his 'vigilante' gear was on. He must have thought the same thing I had; something was out there, and we needed to be ready for it should it come back for the rest of us.

"Don't you think he'd answer?" April deadpanned, but her voice was tense with worry.

They were all starting to panic, more so than I already was. I needed to calm us all down somehow, or we'd never find Raph. Taking in a deep breath, I turned to all them. "Alright, we split up," I declared, and they all gathered around me as they listened. "April and Casey, you take that way," – I pointed to the road on my left – "Mikey and Donnie, you take that way," – I pointed to the road on my right. Even though splitting up right now was the worst idea, and despite the fear I felt over losing them all the same way we'd lost Raph, I knew that it was the only way to find him at this rate.

But I was immediately met with protests, as per usual.

"_Split_ _up_?! Are you loco, homie?!" Mikey cried. I had to bite back a laugh from his use of language.

"April and Casey go off alone?! _Together?!" _Donnie barked.

At that, my expression dropped in irritation as my eyes narrowed at my younger brother. Seriously? He was going to bring up his petty rivalry with Casey over April _right now_? Did he honestly think we had time for this? Eyeing him pointedly, I repeated myself a little _clearer _this time. "Mikey and _Donnie_, you take _that _way," I said, and turned around and walked away before he could argue any further. I tried to ignore his little groan of protest.

I just woke up from a coma; I didn't have time to deal with this crap right now.

"What about you?" April asked me.

My shoulders sagged a little, and I only turned half way to face her. "…I'll wait at the farmhouse in case Raph comes back…I won't be much help out there anyway…" I replied, unable to keep the glumness out of my voice as I hobbled back to the farmhouse.

I could feel April's eyes watching me, but I didn't turn around. I didn't want her concern. I didn't want her pity. I'd had enough of that from my brothers, and I was sick of it. But what else was there for me? I couldn't go out to help find my little brother, and I could barely walk up the stairs to get back inside the stupid house…

As I closed the door behind me, I leaned back against the door and heaved out a sigh. I was getting frustrated. I was getting tired…maybe some rest would help. A brief rest whilst the others would probably do me some good. Maybe Raph would come back within the next hour or so and wake me up. Yeah…

I limped over to the couch, setting my crutch on the side as I lay down, pillowing my head against the armrest and laying my hands on my chest as I closed my eyes, which I quickly noticed felt like weights as I shut them. I must have been more tired than I thought I was, because within minutes, I was asleep…

* * *

><p><em>Something wasn't right. <em>

_My eyes slowly cracked open, and I sat up from the couch as I looked around the empty living room. I listened closely, but I heard nothing upstairs either. I let out a tired sigh as I rubbed my eyes…and then stopped when I felt the familiar fabric of my mask beneath my palms. _

_I blinked once in surprise, reaching back to catch the tails of my blue mask. When did I put this on? Donnie told me that he'd put it in the drawer in my room, in case I wanted it back on again, but I hadn't touched it. So…how did it get on my face?_

_Swinging my legs around to the floor, I stood up, remembering too late that I still couldn't stand up without my crutch. But as I waited for the pain in my leg to come, I felt nothing. Confused, I bent my leg back and forth experimentally. Nothing happened. In fact, my whole body felt completely fine._

_My eyes widened. Could it be? Was I…was I better? Had the whole coma thing been a dream, and I was actually my same old self? _

_A grin found its way across my features as I laughed breathlessly. I was okay! I was back! "I have to tell the others!" I exclaimed excitedly as I ran out of the living room and swung the door open, turning around at the last second to close it again..._

_But when I turned back towards the forest, I was met with nothing but darkness._

_My eyes widened and my heart stopped. No…no, not this, not the darkness again! I couldn't face that darkness again! Spinning on my heel, I reached back for the door…but the door had disappeared. In fact, the whole farmhouse was gone. _

_My breaths came out in short, ragged gasps as I began to panic. "Guys?! Raph, Mikey, Donnie?! April?! __**Anyone**__?!" I cried out, my voice echoing within the abyss. As the silence and a cold sweeping wind met me head-on, the horrible realization hit me as I hugged myself and shivered. _

_I was alone again. I was cold again._

_I was trapped in eternal darkness again._

_"__**Did you think you could escape me?"**_

_I gasped loudly, spinning on my heel as I searched the darkness for the source of the voice. That voice was familiar…_

_Oh no. _

_Oh god, please no._

**_"Yes, Leonardo. You think because you are no longer in the city that I cannot find you? You are sorely mistaken, my little friend."_**

_"…go away!" I trembled, wishing for my swords, my brothers, my father, anyone to come and help me. I threw my hands over my ears and shook my head. "Leave me alone! Go away! GO AWAY!" I screamed._

**_"Your cries go unheard, turtle. No one will come and save you…just as no one came to help you as you fought against my army. You are alone now…"_**

**_"SHUT UP! GO AWAY! GO AWAY!"_**_ I screamed over and over again, tears starting to trickle down my face as I stumbled back and forth on my suddenly unsteady feet. _

_He'd already destroyed me. He'd already taken my home. He'd already taken my father. How could he possibly bring me any lower? What more did he have to take away from me?!_

_My shell suddenly hit something behind me. Something large. Something cold. Something metal…_

_A black gloved hand suddenly came from behind me and slapped over my mouth, muffling my cry of fear, and another hand seized my left wrist and pinned it behind my back. I couldn't move. I was frozen, trapped, and powerless as his dark chuckle echoed in my ears._

**_"You foolish child. You are no leader. You are weak. Helpless. Fatherless. And you are all alone. You never had a chance against me, turtle. And you never will. You will never escape me. I am everywhere. I know where you hide, I know where you go...and I _****will ****_kill you."_**

_I was released and roughly thrown to the floor. Before I could scramble back onto my feet again, I felt a heavy boot press down on my chest, pinning me to the floor despite my struggles to get up. I turned my head, my eyes wide and full of fear and tears that dripped down my cheeks as I stared up at his towering form. His blades were unsheathed and raised over my head as he prepared to bring them down._

**_"You will never defeat me, Leonardo. You shall die here by my hand…and you shall die as you have always been destined to. _**

**"Alone."**

_I screamed._

_The blades came down, and the sound of metal crunching through my shell echoed in the darkness._

* * *

><p>"<strong><em>NO!<em>**" I screamed, my eyes snapping open as I jolted up from the couch, panting heavily as I laid a hand over my rapidly beating heart. Sweat trickled from by brow as I stared unseeingly in front of me.

Little by little, with every shaking breath I took, I slowly forced myself to calm down and get my breathing under control. I blinked rapidly, bringing shaking hand to my face as I wiped the sweat off my face and the tears from my cheeks.

It was just a nightmare. I was still alive. I was safe.

After taking one last shuddering breath and letting it out again with a long sigh, I held my head in my hands. Sleeping wasn't going to help me. Not in the least. In fact, sleeping would only make it worse if all I ever dreamed about was…_him. _Sighing heavily, I reached out for my cane and stood up. And then as I looked at the wooden stick in my hand, my eyes narrowed as I glared at it as if it were an insect.

That familiar boiling anger was bubbling up inside me again, and I didn't try to restrain it.

This was pathetic. Here I was, sleeping away on the couch whilst my family was out there looking for Raphael. I knew I was probably never going to get better, or be the same as I was before. But I refused to sit around and wither away like the weed I was. I had to do something.

_"Don't talk like that! That's not the Leo I know!"_

Raph had been right. That wasn't me. That version of me had resigned himself to wasting away, complaining about how he wasn't going to get better. If I wasn't going to be the same, I still had to try. I had to fix my broken pieces.

I had to get up. I had to stop whining and _do something_.

Narrowing my eyes, I nodded to myself as I made my way to the stairs. I needed my swords…and my mask.

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><p>"<em>Aah!" <em>I gasped as I fell to my knees yet again, panting heavier than I had been before as my sweat dripped down onto the grass. I'd decided that maybe practicing a few katas against the tree near the swing chairs would help me build up my strength. But I'd forgotten that I still couldn't stand properly, and with every swing of my katana, every muscle in my body seemed to burn like fire.

Despite having brought it down from my room, I didn't put my mask on. Instead, I tied it around the hilt of one of my katana. I didn't feel worthy of wearing it. Not yet…

But that didn't mean I was giving up again. I had to get up. I had to at least try. I had to _try_.

"…get on your feet, Leo," I growled to myself as I struggled to sand, my legs shaking from the effort. "Stop whining and get _up_."

As I gripped my aching left arm, groaning and hissing through my clenched teeth in pain, I heard something coming from the forest and I froze. It was a person…a person that sounded like they were in pain. I looked up from the ground and out into the dark, scanning the forest for the owner of those pained gasps…

And then from out of the bushes, April came limping out into the open. Her clothes were dirty, and the side of her face was badly bruised. She was panting heavily as she struggled to get to me.

My eyes widened. What the _hell_? What happened to her?! "April?!" I called out to her as I staggered towards her, forgetting about my cane. April was hurt. She needed help. She needed me. She needed –

Something slithered from out of the bushes. I let out a gasp as I watched it move towards April like a slithering snake. What was that thing…were those _vines_?

The living vines wound themselves around April's right ankle, tripping her over as she fell face first into the dirt. When she lifted her head up again, her eyes were wide and full of panic…and they shone with tears of fear. She reached out to me. **"****_LEO!" _**she screamed.

I was instantly moving, limping as fast as I could as I tried to reach her.

I had to get to her! I had to protect her! I couldn't fail again!

She dug her nails into the dirt, trying to claw away from the vines that slowly entwined her other leg as well, trapping her in its coils despite her struggles. A harsh tug pulled her closer to the forest and away from me. **"****_HELP!" _**she shrieked, her ragged voice echoing through the air and into my ears, before a final tug hauled her across the ground and pulled her helplessly into the darkness.

**_"APRIL!" _**I screeched, tripping over as I fell to my knees, panting as I stared out into the forest where my sister had been dragged into.

I lowered my head and squeezed my eyes shut as I felt the tears sting them once again. I failed her. I didn't know what that thing was or where it came from, but it took her away from me. I couldn't save her. I wasn't fast enough. I wasn't strong enough. And I knew without a doubt that whatever that thing was, it must have been why Raph had gone missing. It must have taken Donnie, Mikey and Casey too.

That thing took my family. I wasn't there to protect them. I had truly failed them all.

A strong gust of wind blew over me, sending a shiver running down my spine. And then I heard something fluttering, like a flag in the breeze. I turned around, and saw my blue mask tails fluttering from where I'd tied it to my katana hilt.

My eyes widened as I stared at the blue fabric. Slowly, I struggled to my feet and limped over to my katana, detangling my mask as I held it in my hands, staring down at it as I ran my thumb across it.

We were all given our masks at a young age by our father, before our ninja training had begun. He'd given us the colors according to our personality. He'd chosen blue for me, because it symbolized trust, loyalty and faith. He'd told me that it was the color of a born leader.

I had earned that mask. But after my defeat, I thought of myself as unworthy of wearing it again…but that didn't matter anymore.

Whether I was worthy or not, I didn't care anymore. When it all started, I'd asked to be leader, and I'd gotten my wish. I didn't ask for the heavy burden I was forced to carry, but I did anyways. Now it was time for me shoulder my burdens once again, to step out of the darkness and into the light.

My family needed me. They needed their leader to stand up and fight for them once again.

My hands clenched into tight, shaking fists as I held the mask. My eyes narrowed not in anger, but in new born determination as slowly, I lifted the fabric to my face and tied it around its rightful place on my face. I was still a broken child, but I could put my shattered pieces back together again. I could rebuild myself back into the leader I was always destined to be.

Sheathing my Katanas as I plucked them from the grass, I reached out for my crutch and squared my shoulders, taking in a deep breath as I glared into the darkness of the forests beyond. The darkness would swallow me whole, surround me and try to break me down, but I was no longer afraid.

I am Leonardo. And the darkness, or whatever creature had dared to take my family away, would fear _me._


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey guys! Its been a while since I've updated this one! Thanks for all the feedback so far you guys! You're all awesome!  
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**I OWN NOTHING!**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

This was the first time I'd entered the forest on my own, in the dark no less. And I had to admit, it was pretty daunting.

The last time I came out, I'd been with Raphael; he knew the overall layout of the forest by now, so he had no problem finding his way back to the farmhouse. I on the other hand, wasn't as familiar, and I got lost within minutes of setting foot beyond the border of trees. But despite being stranded in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by the trees, the darkness and the deafening silence, I wasn't afraid. My eyes were narrowed, and though my leg was throbbing from how fast I was moving, it didn't deter me as I pressed on, limping further and further into the dense forest.

My family was out there somewhere. And if it meant that my leg would bleed out or fall off in the process, I wouldn't stop until I found them, and beat whatever creature had taken them away from me.

But even so, it didn't exactly help that I had no idea where I was.

Just as I was starting to convince myself that I was utterly lost, I stopped suddenly as I heard the sounds of muffled screams. My eyes went wide, and my head snapped left and right in search for the source of the screams. Those screams sounded close…in fact, they sounded a lot like…

"…Mikey?" I gasped.

My baby brother was screaming out for someone. I could hear him…he sounded angry, something that was very rare for my most hyperactive brother. And he was scared…

Releasing a low growl from my throat, I doubled my speed as I marched onwards in the direction of my baby brothers' cries. Ignoring the increasing pain in my right leg, I limped as fast as my aching body would allow me to as I stumbled through a barricade of thick berry bushes…and I was met with a strange sight as I let out a faint gasp.

There was an old wooden shack stood in the center of a large clearing…and through the cracks and holes in the structure, I could see green, florescent lights glowing from the inside. What the heck was that? It couldn't be what I thought it was, could it…?

"_Lemme go, Creep! I'll bash that mutagen straight outta ya!" _

My eyes widened. That was Mikey again, louder and angrier this time. They must all be trapped inside that shack with that creature…had Mikey called it Creep? And had he mentioned something about mutagen? There was mutagen out here as well?! But where did it come from? There was no way the Kraang could have fund us out here and –

Wait a minute…my Elixir…I'd dropped it by the creek just before I heaved.

I'd forgotten all about it until now. Maybe that's how this 'Creep' monster had been created.

In that instant, I wanted to scream. I wanted to shout out every profanity I knew of. But most of all, I wanted to hit something, namely myself as I lowered my head, growling again in frustration. This whole mess was all my fault. I'd put my family in danger again because of my stupid mistake…because of my weakness…

Mikey's scream of terror snapped me out of my thoughts. My teeth ground together as I wiped those thoughts from my mind for the time being. My mistakes didn't matter right now; I could wallow in self-pity all I wanted later.

All that mattered was getting my family out of there alive before I lost them all for good.

Readying myself, I drew in a deep breath.

"_Help!" _I screamed as I started moving to hide behind a large thick tree trunk. "_HELP!" _I screamed again, louder this time as I waited, keeping my breathing quiet and even as I peered around the tree. Whatever that Creep thing was, it was obvious that its main targets were whoever wandered into the forest, lost or alone. I knew that if he heard my cries for help that he'd eventually come out looking for me. All I had to do was wait and pray that he actually took the bait.

Sure enough, the door of the shack opened up, and my jaw nearly dropped to the dirt at the sight of the Creep.

That thing was massive; his entire body was made up of intertwined vines and dead flowers that stuck out of the large blue overalls that he wore. And I also noticed with a faint gasp that he was wearing Casey's hockey mask. How did he get that? Had he…

…had he killed Casey and took his mask to wear as a trophy?

No, no he couldn't have. Casey was still alive, I was sure of it; that crazed vigilante was pretty hard to get rid of, that much I knew.

To my dismay, Creep didn't wander off into the woods like I thought he would. Instead, he just glanced around him as if he were looking for me. I cursed under my breath in Japanese. I'd hoped he would leave the shack unguarded so that I could quickly free the others and get out of there before he came back. But it looked like he was smarter than I thought; there was no way he was going to leave his hostages unprotected.

Squaring my shoulders, I held my breath as I silently drew out a shuriken from my belt. I was in no condition for it, but I knew that the only way to free them was to fight. Though it wasn't the first time I'd fought like this for them, nor would it be the last.

Finally letting out the breath I was holding, I threw the shuriken.

It sailed through the air, and imbedded directly into the back of Creeps' head. He immediately spun around, his pitchfork in hand as he seemed to glare in my direction. I stepped out of the shadows, glaring venomously at the mutant stood before me.

"Give me back my family, _freak,_" I snarled at him.

'Freak' was a word that we almost never used, especially not by myself or my brothers. We all knew how much it hurt. We knew what it felt like to be called a freak, a monster, a _thing_ that didn't belong in the world of humans. But we'd lived with it our entire lives. The hurt never left, but we'd learned how to hide it from others and just move on. However, the word rolled off my tongue with _every_ _intention_ of hurting that thing.

Creep visibly tensed, as if my words had physically struck him, but I didn't care. Because that was what he was; he was a warped, deranged, hideous _freak_ that had taken my family away from me. And I'd cut deeper into whatever wound I'd already created with my sword if I had to.

Slowly, as the Creep began to stalk towards me, I reached out for my crutch and threw it to the side, my leg trembling and aching painfully the moment I put weight on it. I quickly shook off the pain, flexing my fingers at my side as I prepared myself for a fight. Reaching up, I grabbed the hilt of my Katanas and drew them out…

…and I looked down at the broken blade in my right hand.

Inwardly I shivered as the vivid memories flashed through my mind again. The katana had snapped in half after I'd shoved it through the chest of a Foot Bot…one out of the many others that had flooded after me one by one…until the final blow was struck by _him_…

I shook my head rapidly, shaking the memories away in the process as I took a defensive stance. No, I wasn't going to think about that, not now. I needed to focus. Focus on the Creep. Focus on ignoring the pain.

Focus on saving what was left of my family.

The Creep made the first move as he swung his pitchfork at me. I reflexively rolled out of the way as it stabbed into the ground instead. I stumbled backwards unsteadily, my leg burning like hell, but again I ignored it as I charged forwards to slice Creep in the arm. My swing was weak, giving Creep the chance to block it with ease with his pitchfork before swiping it at my chest, knocking me backwards again. I grunted in pain as I fell to one knee, already desperate to catch my breath and the fight had barely started.

Was I really _that _weak?

I looked up again to find that Creep was looming over me with his pitchfork raised above my head, and I had only seconds to leap back on my feet again and duck out of the way of his swipes. I was no longer on the offensive; I had to change tactics if I ever had hope of beating this thing, and if that meant dipping and dodging every attack, then so be it.

I was unprepared when the Creep managed to knock one of my swords right out of my hand, sending it flying through the air and far out of my reach. "_Gah_!" I cried. Great, now I was one weapon short. _Again._

The Creep saw my distraction, and used that opportunity to throw his pitchfork at me like a spear. I flailed out of the way with a yelp, using my free hand to steady myself as I nearly fell on my face as the flying tool pierced the tree behind me instead. Narrowing my eyes, I leapt up from the ground and with a grunt, I sliced the blade across his face, knocking Casey's mask clean off it as he staggered backwards and covered his face with his over-sized hands as if he were in pain.

I was panting heavily now as I stood there, both from the pain and the burst of adrenaline as I clenched my katana with both hands. I was already tired, I was still very weak, and my leg was still on fire, but I wasn't going to stop. I wasn't about to give up because I was _tired_. I didn't give up when Shredder and the Foot Clan had me on the run, and I wasn't about to give up now.

Injured, sick, weak, it didn't matter. I could beat this thing. I could save my family.

Raising my katana once more, I charged for the Creep again as I readied my blade for the final blow.

But the Creep suddenly grabbed my arm, holding it in a crushing grip as the vines twined around my hand. Then he reached out to grab me around the face, muffling my cry of fear as my eyes flew wide open as I let out a yelp.

_Oh crud._

I couldn't help it. I started screaming, though my voice was muffled by Creeps' enormous hand as he hauled me up off the ground with ease despite my struggles. He lifted his head to glare up at me…and my eyes widened further and I my screams and struggles increased at the sight of his glowing, distorted features as he roared up at me.

That thing…it looked like it came from my very nightmares.

In a fit of rage, Creep began to slam my body to the ground over and over without mercy as my katana, my only means of defense, slipped from my grip. I screamed again as the pain coursed through me like fire, and I swore I heard my shell and my bones crack every time I hit the ground.

When he'd had enough of that, he threw me away, sending me spiraling through the air like a limp and broken doll before I landed face first in the dirt with a painful _thud_. As I lay there, panting and wheezing, I swore I felt as if my body had been through hell and back again…_again_.

Fighting to open my eyes and stay conscious, I brought up my hand to find it scarred, numbed and bloody from how hard the Creep had gripped it. Dammit it stung, but then again so did every other inch of me…

But an icy feeling ran down my spine when I realized that my leg felt as bad as it had been before I even woke up.

Looking back at my leg, I realized with a faint gasp that my knee was bleeding heavily, the red liquid dripping through my knee-pad and pooling as it seeping into the dirt. Oh no. I really _had _pushed myself too far. I should've just gone inside the hut and freed the guys first instead of messing myself up even more. Fighting the Creep was a big mistake…

The Creep…uh oh…

I turned to look at the creature standing a few feet behind me, and I saw that the Creep had bent over and picked up the katana I'd dropped, and he looked over its gleaming surface like it was some sort of prize.

Then his monstrous gaze slowly turned towards me.

My blood ran cold and my heart sank deep into the pit of my chest as I realized what he was about to do.

Oh no, oh god, oh please no.

I couldn't fight him now, not like this; I couldn't even stand up anymore. I was literally defenseless against that thing now, more so than I had been the minute this fight had started. I could hear my rapid breaths of fear come out in ragged huffs as I started to panic.

I was going to die by my own sword. I'd failed to rescue my family. I'd failed them all again. I –

Wait…

_"…for a ninja, _anything _can be a weapon…"_

My fear slowly dissipated as the words of my father echoed within my memories. Blinking once, I turned back to find that my crutch was still lying there where I'd thrown it to the ground earlier. It was just a wooden stick, but it was the only option I had left. And besides, if a broom had worked as a replacement for a Bo staff for Donnie, then a wooden crutch could work for me too.

If I could just get to it before the Creep got to _me_…

Desperately I tried to crawl over to it, but I was making slow progress and with every move I made, my throbbing body only felt worse. I could hear Creep coming closer with my sword in his hand. I knew I was running out of time, and I was running out of strength.

I tried to get onto my hands and knees, thinking I could get to the crutch faster if I could walk. But I immediately fell back down to the ground with a loud cry of pain, clutching my knee as I ground my teeth together to suppress tears of agony.

God it hurt _so much_. I couldn't take much more of it…

But I had to keep moving. I couldn't give up. The others were waiting for me to save them. If I died now, they would all die too. I couldn't let that happen.

And even if they somehow managed to free themselves, I couldn't bear the thought of them losing me again, forever this time…

I couldn't let myself die, not like this, and certainly not now. I had to fight back.

I had to _fight_!

The Creep was getting closer. My heart beat faster as I dragged my battered body across the ground, my fingers clawing into the dirt with my determined efforts. I was using only what strength I had left in my trembling arms as I itched closer and closer to my crutch.

I was almost there. I was almost there. I just had to reach out and –

Creep raised my sword above my head, ready to put an end to me. But I wasn't about to let him.

I snatched the crutch, spun around so that I was lying on my back, and with a grunt I stabbed Creep violently in the face, sinking the end of my weapon deep into the creature's left eye. He reared back and let out a screech of pain, covering his face with his hands as he wailed on the ground helplessly.

I took my chance as I struggled weakly to my aching feet, pulling out my sword from the ground as I limped over to the shack. I left Creep to squirm in pain, not looking back or bothering to finish him off.

I had to get to my family first. They needed me.

Finally, I reached the old shack, panting and sweating from the effort as I leaned heavily against the doorway. In the corner of my eye, I saw a wooden table against the wall on my right with lit wax candles encircling a glass vile in the center, almost like a shrine of sorts.

It was my Elixir. Why would the Creep make a shrine for a bottle of mutagen?

"_Leo_!" I heard April cry, and I felt relief course through me at the sound of her voice. Thank god she was safe.

I looked up and noticed that they were all tied up in strange, thick vines. Casey and April were against the wall on my left, and Donnie and Mikey were hanging off the floor on my right (though Mikey was hanging upside down). They all seemed to be alright apart from a couple of bruises, and for that I was glad. But worry began to rear its head again when I couldn't find Raphael anywhere…

And that was when my eyes fell upon the mass of grass and moss at the back of the shack, where Raph's mask lay on top of a lone flower. My eyes widened. "What the heck is _that?!" _I cried.

It had better not be…It _couldn't _be…

"It's Raph! Long story," Donnie confirmed, wriggling weakly in his restraints. "Quick! Get us outta here!"

Though my head was still reeling and my heart was still thumping in panic against my chest at the news that that _thing _was actually my _brother_, I quickly nodded once at Donnie. Narrowing my eyes, I took my katana in both hands and hacked at the vines holding Donnie and Mikey above the ground, and they sprawled to the floor in a mess of plants and limbs. Once they were free, I quickly turned to April and Casey and freed them as well, making quick work of their binds.

I slumped down to my knees, wheezing heavily again. My body was battered up again, and my leg was still mercilessly burning the longer I stood without the help of my crutch. That beating from the Creep didn't exactly help me much either –

Wait…oh _double_ crud.

The sound of a loud, rumbling growl gained our attention as we all turned to the doorway, only to find the Creep now standing upright, anger replacing his earlier pain as he glared at us all. The crutch fell from the hole I'd created in his face as he began to stalk towards us.

We all let out a scream of terror. Donnie, April and Mikey leapt to their feet, grabbing whatever they could from the wall of the shack and using it to barricade the door. As Mikey hammered a nail into a plank of wood to seal the door shut, (which I _knew _wasn't going to work, but by this point I was too tired to bother to point it out) Casey stood by my side and put a gloved hand on my shoulder. Still panting, I weakly looked up to meet his concerned gaze.

"You okay, Leo?" he asked me.

I nodded once, despite it being the lie of the century as I forced myself to my feet, my katana poised before me as I glared at the door. Casey did the same, readying his hockey stick as the others closed in around us with their weapons out before them as we all waited in silence for the Creep to try and break his way in again.

I could practically smell the tension in the room as we waited. I looked back to make sure I wasn't standing on Raph…or whatever was left of him.

My anger nearly boiled at the thought of whatever that freak had done to my little brother, and what he could have done to the remainder of my family…my whole world.

_Hang in there, Raphie, _I assured him in my thoughts. _We'll save you. I _swear_ it…_

There was a crash of wood from our right, and April and Mikey screamed as a giant, plant-like hand burst through the wall, followed by the rest of the Creep's upper half as he glowered at us with murderous intent. We all screamed again, knowing that at this point we were pretty much doomed.

**_"AAOOOOOOO!" _**Casey howled as he hammered the Creep across the face with his hockey stick with brute force. That is, until Creep grabbed the stick and snapped it in half with agonizing ease. "Ah, _dude_!" Casey cursed in annoyance as he stepped back again.

**_"BOOYAKASHAAAA!" _**Mikey hollered as he ran around Casey and whacked his nunchaku across Creep's face, following up with a skilled flip and a kick to the head, which I couldn't help but admire with pride.

With Creep distracted by Mikey, Casey quickly grabbed two shovels from off the side of the shack, and used one of them to slice off Creep's left arm with ease. After that, the rest of us went all out on him, slapping, slicing and hammering him with everything we had in a desperate attempt to just _kill it_. The barrage of attacks ended when Casey slammed Creep in the face yet again with the shovel as a disgusting smelling slime oozed out of him, and he slumped forwards limply.

Wait a second…that stuff coming out of the Creep…was that _puke_? Better yet, was that _my _puke? The Creep was created from the mutagen within the stuff I'd chucked out of my system that morning?! At the thought of that, I immediately felt sicker.

I fell to my knees as again as we all panted breathlessly, hoping beyond hope that we'd finally finished him off. He didn't move for several seconds, his drooping form hanging from the hole he'd created in the wall. The longer he remained motionless, the more confidence we had in thinking we'd defeated him.

But that hope quickly faded as his eyes began to glow again.

I gasped in horror. _Oh __**triple **__crud._

He ripped his way through the wall, tearing away the shovels that Casey had stabbed into his shoulders as he stomped towards us. He brutally shoved April and Casey against the wall, and made a grab for Mikey and Donnie before I could get up to stop him. Drawing his arms back, he then threw them straight through the roof of the shack and sent them flying outside again.

"Guys!" I cried as I finally heaved myself onto my feet, my breathing still labored. Looking up weakly, I watched as the Creep picked up the arm Casey had chopped off, and he simply stuck it back onto his body, the vines and leaves (or _whatever _that thing was made of) twined themselves back together.

I let out a heavy, tired sigh of frustration. He could heal himself too?! Was there actually any way to beat this thing?!

He lifted his right hand without warning, and he swatted me to the wall like a fly. My shell hit the table, jolting the shrine and nearly tipping the mutagen medicine over.

Creep suddenly looked panicked as the bottle wobbled on the table.

I quirked a brow in confusion at his startled reaction. Why was he so concerned about a bottle of mutagen?

…wait a second…

I let out a gasp of realization as I turned to the bottle. I grabbed it and held it out to the Creep, moving it from side to side in a taunting gesture. He moved along with it, almost as if he was desperate to get it back.

That told me all that I needed to know.

The mutagen medicine was the source of the Creep's power. He absorbed the mutagen to sustain himself, to keep him moving. That's probably why he'd taken my brothers captive, and why Raph had turned into a plant, and probably why he wanted to kill me, too. He wanted the mutagen within our blood.

Without us, the Creep's only source of sustenance would be the Elixir.

Well, there was no way I was going to let this creature to continue to hunt us down.

My eyes narrowed, I turned over to April as she rolled back to her feet dizzily. One look was all it took for her to understand what she had to do, and she nodded her head once. Returning the nod, I tossed the bottle over to her, and she caught it with ease. Turning on her heel, she bolted out the door of the shack, with the Creep close on her heels as they ran out into the woods.

Gathering the last of my strength, I hobbled out of the shack as fast as I was able to, just as April tossed the bottle over to Donnie and ran back inside to get Casey. As Mikey and Donnie played 'keep away' with the Creep, who helplessly attempted to take back the bottle with little luck, I dropped my katana to the grass and used both hands to grip the pitchfork imbedded into the tree, and I hauled it out of the trunk.

Time to get rid of the Creep once and for all.

Donnie threw the bottle over to Mikey, but before Mikey could make a run for it, thick vines from the trees overhead wound themselves around his wrists, holding him in place even as he struggled and cried out in fear. With Mikey trapped, the Creep grabbed him by the head and snatched the bottle from his hands.

I gasped as Creep's body began to glow again. Was he about to absorb Mikey too?!

No! I wouldn't let that happen! I wouldn't lose another brother!

"Donnie!" I called as I practically loped over to him with the pitchfork in my hands. He was already moving along with me, lacing his fingers together just as I jumped up. With a heave, he threw me up in the air. As Creep suddenly spun around, I let out a loud yell as I sailed straight into him, the fork poised before me as it smashed through my bottle of Elixir.

The mutagen spilled over him as I pinned him to the tree using his own weapon, and the vines released Mikey as he fell backwards onto his shell. I was too exhausted by that point as a staggered shakily away from the screeching creature, but I would've scoffed; karma was a real pain in the ass.

As I backed away and fell to my knees again, April and Casey reappeared from the shack moments later with chains, and they quickly wrapped them around the Creep, securing him tightly to the tree despite his struggles. I let out a long breath of relief.

It was finally over. We won.

"That's what you get for messing with my mask, _freak_," Casey growled as April finished tying Creep to the tree and dusted her hands off in grim satisfaction.

"That should hold him," Donnie said, "Now come on! We've gotta get him back to the lab!"

From where I sat in the dirt, I looked up at my taller brother. "You really think you can save Raph?" I asked, praying that he would say yes. He _had_ to. I may have doubted Donnie's ideas and his skills before, and it was one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made. In fact, it was _me _who'd encouraged him to keep going back when we were younger, telling him that if he put his incredible mind to it, he could do anything.

Donnie could do anything…right?

But there was doubt within his eyes as Donnie looked back down at me. He frowned. "…honestly…I don't know, Leo. I just don't know…" he barely whispered as he cast a desolate gaze back at the struggling abomination against the tree. I lowered my head, my grip on the pitchfork tightening as I fought to restrain rage, though I swore I could hear a crack of wood beneath my palms.

Despite the fear of knowing that I may never see my hot-headed little brother again, I had faith that Donnie wouldn't give up on Raph. And neither would I. There had to be a way to save our brother. There _had_ to be. If that blockhead could survive an alien invasion, if he could put up with sitting by my side for three months, then I was sure he could survive this too.

And no matter what, I would stay by his side. Just as he did for me…

* * *

><p>It felt like hours, and there was a lot of struggling and curse words in both English and Japanese floating between us as we fought to haul the Creep through the woods, but we finally managed to knock the creature out (thanks to a very ticked off April) long enough to get him back to the farmhouse and into the barn. Between Casey and me, we carried the limp plant-like body of Raph up to the top floor of the barn along with the others who dragged up the Creep.<p>

One we'd settled Raph to lie on a stack of hay and restrain the Creep, Donnie wasted no time in hooking them both up to an IV tube. When April had asked him what that was for, he quickly explained that if Creep had managed to suck the mutagen out of Raph, then there was a possibility that Donnie could do the same to Creep and then transfer the mutagen back into Raph's body again…at least, that's what he _hoped_ would happen.

He was still very unsure if he could save him. But I had faith. I knew Donnie could do it. I _knew _he could.

Whilst Donnie continued to drain the Creep of mutagen, whose struggles and angry roars had started to lessen as he slumped weakly to the floor, April sat by my side on the stack of hay opposite Raph's motionless body and tended to my own injuries. Predictably, it was my leg that had suffered the worst damage since I'd pushed myself so far back in the woods whilst I fought the monster, but a few thick bandages (and a little bit of pained cursing coming from me) ensured that I wouldn't bleed to death at the very least.

Once that was finished, April sat back and let out a soft sigh. We both looked over to where Donnie worked diligently on resuscitating Raph, his tongue protruding from the side of his mouth out of old habit as he remained intently focused on the task at hand. On the other side of the floor, Casey and Mikey were sat up against the wall with Mikey's head leaning against Casey's right shoulder as he dozed, though his face was scrunched up with worry.

Casey's arm was draped around Mikey's shoulder as he rested his cheek upon the top of his head and slowly drifted off as well. I also noticed that he had Raph's mask held tightly in his left hand.

I smiled softly at the sight. I was glad that Casey was the one offering Mikey some comfort after all of this; being kidnapped by a swamp monster in the middle of the woods at night was bad enough…but the thought of losing Raph, after everything we've already lost, was far scarier than any monster from even our darkest nightmares…including my own.

April's hand softly came to rest on my shoulder, and I turned to meet her sad, tired gaze. She knew exactly what I was thinking, and of course she felt the same. She was scared for our brother. Scared that Donnie wouldn't be able to save him in time. Scared that we would lose another member of our already broken family…

My arm wrapped around her shoulders as I brought her close to my side. "…he's gonna make it, April," I whispered firmly. "Donnie can do it. He _has _to."

April said nothing, but I felt her nod against my shoulder as we sat there in the silence. It was then that I realized that I was doing exactly what April had done for me back at the house, before we realized that Raph wasn't coming back. I was offering her the same strength and comfort that she had given to me.

I couldn't help but smile a little at that. Being the 'pillar of emotional support' so-to-speak had been I role I'd fallen into ever since I was young, long before I asked to be the leader.

It looked like I was falling back into that rightful role again.

* * *

><p>A few hours had passed, and April had stifled her own sadness and anxiety in order to tend to Casey and Mikey as they slept. Eventually, she too succumbed to exhaustion as she fell asleep with her head pillowed on Casey's lap. Donnie was still hard at work, making sure that Raph was stable and that Creep stayed exactly where he was, though I noticed that he wasn't moving anymore and his body had shrunk a great deal after so long.<p>

And all the while, I stayed where I was. I refused to move from Raph's side. And even when his body suddenly started to convulse violently as it fought to mutate back to its original form, I clung on to Raph's leaf-like hand with everything I had as Donnie pinned him down with his arms pressed against his chest to keep him steady.

I was scared. We were both scared that everything was going to go wrong. I could see it in Donnie's eyes and he could see it in mine. But I wouldn't let Raph go. I wouldn't let him down. And even if Donnie's plan proved to fail and if Raph were to die that night, I would stay by his side and hold his hand until he breathed his last.

I loved him too much to let him die alone.

* * *

><p>I don't know how long it had been or when it had happened, but I must have eventually passed out at some point because when I opened my eyes again, I found that my head was pillowed on the hay stack that Raph lay upon, and my hand was still firmly gripping his...which was when I noticed that his hand had returned to the normal, rough three fingered hand that had brought me out of the darkness.<p>

With a gasp, I lifted my head so that I could wholly take in Raph's state. His body was fully reformed, back to the big green reptile that we all knew and loved. The only thing that he was missing was his ragged red mask.

Grinning widely as I let out a shaking breath of relief, I fought the urge to cry as I looked up at Donnie, who stood on my right with a weary yet relived smile spread across his face. He'd taken his mask off his face and let it dangle from around his neck instead, and there were dark bags underneath his eyes from lack of sleep. His shoulders were sagged and I could see that he was struggling to stand upright, but his smile never left. He'd stayed up all night to save our brother…and he'd actually done it.

My smile grew wider as I reached out with my free hand and grabbed Donnie's shoulder, tugging him down so that he was on his knees and hugging him close. "You did it, Donnie," I said softly. I then tightened my grip as I nuzzled my cheek against his.

"…I never doubted you, Donnie. Not for a second." And I meant every word of that. Despite our fights in the past, I had never, _ever _doubted my little brother.

Donnie went very still at my words. I heard him sniff, like he was suppressing tears, before his arms came around me with gusto. "…t-thanks, Leo," he stammered. "…for everything."

I smiled against his shoulder. "No problem, little brother. Now all we have to do is wake up the others and wait for him to wake up again, right?"

Reluctantly, we pulled away as Donnie nodded, and I allowed him to stand up again and readjust his mask around his eyes. He then extended his hand out to me. "You've done well tonight too, Leo," he said with a warm smile, one that spoke of relief and gratitude. "But you might wanna step over here instead; I've got a feeling Mikey might run you over to get to Raph when he wakes up."

I rolled my eyes and let out a chuckle. "Either Mikey or Casey I'll bet," I joked, and I reached out to take Donnie's hand, firmly grasping it.

Slowly, I reluctantly let go of Raph's hand as Donnie helped me to stand up and hop over to the mountain of crates at the other side of the room; though I knew now that he was going to be alright thanks to Donnie, there was still the fear that if I let him go for a moment, he'd vanish.

I guess that's how Raph felt when he was watching over me for three months...

"YES!" Donnie cried, and I lifted my head in surprise at his shout. Dammit, I must have dozed off again. Once I rubbed my eyes to clear the tired haze, I saw that the others were gathered around Raphael's prone form…and I gasped in delight when I saw that he was finally awake.

Thank god. Our brother was going to be okay after all.

Mikey peeked through Donnie and April, his eyes wide as he gazed down at Raph's mask-less face. "Oh no! Raph! Look at him! It's _terrible_!" he cried, covering is face with his hands in mock despair. I rolled my eyes at that, but I smiled nonetheless; it was just Mikey being Mikey after all.

Donnie's brows quirked in confusion as he looked at Mikey. "What do you mean? He's perfectly normal," he said.

Rolling her eyes at our younger brother, April retrieved Raph's mask from Casey after he'd offered it to her, and with a smile that rivaled an angels' she tied it around its rightful place on Raph's face again. "How about _now_, Mikey?" she asked.

Narrowing his baby blues, Mikey bent over and pretended to inspect Raph's face intently, before letting out a breath of relief as he nodded. "Whew! Yeah, _waaaay _better!" he grinned.

Pouting sourly, Raph brought up his left hand and pushed Mikey's face away from him as he finally sat upright, groaning tiredly. "…what…the heck…is going on?" he mumbled in a daze.

As April moved to sit next to Raph on the hay stack, Casey instantly jumped forward on Raph's right to explain before she could. "A crazy swamp monster sucked out your mutagen, and turned you into a plant, dude! It was _awesome!" _he laughed, beaming down at his best friend. I could tell that behind his very twisted sense of humor, he was just a glad to see that he was going to be alright again.

"But I used this IV tube to drain all of the mutagen out of the Creep and back into your body," Donnie added, fiddling with the IV as he began to pack up the equipment. He turned back to Raph and flashed him a gap-toothed grin. "Cool, right? Killed off the infection like a bad case of Shell-acne!"

Raph's brows raised as he looked up at Donnie, and there was pride in his green eyed gaze that I knew that, being Raph, he wouldn't be able to properly voice. "…cool, thanks Don," he said, still sounding pretty drained. Donnie only smiled at him kindly and shrugged in response as Raph turned back to Casey. "…so, what happened to the monster?" he asked, eying the area around him warily.

"It got turned back into swamp goo. Pretty wicked, right?!" Casey snickered, pointing to the jar filled with what _used_ to be the Creep; now there was nothing left of him but the disgusting slime in the jar, and the giant blue overalls that Donnie had cast aside and planned on burning later.

I narrowed my eyes at the remnants of the Creep. Good riddance to that monster.

April shook her head at Casey's morbid glee at the demise of the Creep as she turned back to Raph, laying a concerned hand on his own. "Donnie worked all night to save you," she said. Then she looked away. "…Leo never left your side."

I saw Raph stiffen slightly in surprise, and as April stood up to help Donnie put away the IV, Raph slowly turned around to face me where I sat on a wooden crate behind where he lay. Our eyes met, and I knew in that moment _exactly _what my little brother was thinking…what he was _remembering_.

I only smiled at him, a smile that spoke more than my heart ever could. "That's what brothers are for," I said, using my crutch to get back on my feet again as I limped over to my stricken brother, who quickly returned my smile with an understanding one of his own.

Behind Raph in the corner of my eye, I could see Mikey practically bouncing on his toes with his hands covering his mouth to stifle his glee. I shook my head again with a smile as I held my hand out to Raph.

"We've gotta heal up, Raph," I said as he reached out and took my hand, allowing me to help him up. "We have a city to take back!" I grinned determinedly.

Raph returned my grin with a near manic one of his own as we performed one of our handshakes. He must have figured it out already that I wasn't that whining weakling that couldn't even cross a creak earlier that morning. I was back to my old self…well, almost.

I still had a long way to go before I was fully recovered. We _all _did, but they'd all had a three month head start. Now all I had to do was catch up to them, find a way to really get back on my feet, to build myself up again, pick up my shattered pieces and become that strong, fearless leader that I had been two years ago.

And all the while, I knew I wouldn't be alone.

Beaming brighter than the sun itself, Mikey leapt onto the hay stack and struck a dramatic pose that would make _any _anime character green with envy. "I give that a big, fat, sloppy, wet…**_BOOYAKASHAAAA!"_**he hollered at the top of his lungs.

For once, as I wrapped my arm around Raph's shoulders, I couldn't agree more with my little brother.

Booyakasha indeed.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: BOOYAKASHA! Leo's comming around again, guys! I hope you liked it, and I'll see you again in the next chapter!  
><strong>


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